Extra Help or MSP Letter? What It Really Means
Quick answer: A letter about Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program is usually real. Social Security mails them every May and June to people on Medicare who may qualify. The letter invites you to apply. It never asks for payment, bank details, or your Medicare number, and it never arrives as a phone call. Check it at 1-800-772-1213.
If a letter arrived saying you may qualify for Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program, take a breath. It is probably real, and it could be worth real money: Extra Help is worth about $5,700 a year on average, by the Social Security Administration's own estimate, and a Medicare Savings Program can pay your Part B premium every month. The letter is an invitation to apply, not a bill, and not a threat. The only thing that makes it dangerous is the cold call that sometimes follows it, borrowing the letter's name.
What this letter is
Every year, in May and June, the Social Security Administration mails letters to people on Medicare whose monthly Social Security benefit suggests they may qualify for Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program. The letter names the programs and tells you how to apply. Social Security sends the same notice again in late November.
Two things about it matter most. First, getting the letter does not mean you automatically qualify. You still have to apply for each program, because Social Security does not know your other income or your resources, such as a pension or a retirement account. Second, one letter can point at two different programs. Extra Help pays for part of your prescription drug costs under Part D. A Medicare Savings Program pays your Part B premium. They are separate programs with separate applications, and you can qualify for both.
The two programs, in plain English
Extra Help, also called the Low Income Subsidy, helps pay for your prescription drug costs under Part D: the monthly premium, the yearly deductible, and the copays at the pharmacy. Since 2024, everyone who qualifies gets the full benefit; there is no partial level anymore. If you qualify in 2026, you pay no premium (in a benchmark plan) and no deductible, and no more than $5.10 for a generic drug and $12.65 for a brand-name drug per covered fill.
Medicare Savings Programs, or MSPs, help pay for Medicare itself. They pay your Part B premium each month, which is $202.90 in 2026, worth about $2,434.80 over a year. Depending on the program, they may also help with the Part B deductible, $283 in 2026, and with copays. There are four MSPs. QMB, the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program, gives the most help. SLMB and QI, the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary and Qualifying Individual programs, help with the premium. QDWI, the Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals program, is for people who lost premium-free Part A because they returned to work.
The 2026 income and resource limits
Both programs have income and resource limits, and the limits change each year. These are the federal minimums for the 48 contiguous states. States can raise the limits, and Alaska and Hawaii have higher limits, so if you are close, apply anyway and let the program decide.
| Program | Monthly income, one person | Monthly income, couple | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| QMB | $1,350 | $1,824 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
| SLMB | $1,616 | $2,184 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
| QI | $1,816 | $2,455 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
| QDWI | $5,405 | $7,299 | $4,000 / $6,000 |
Extra Help uses yearly limits instead of monthly ones. For 2026, Medicare lists the yearly income limit at $23,940 for one person and $32,460 for a married couple, with resources under $18,090 for one person and $36,100 for a couple. Limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii, and the numbers change each year, so check the current figures before you apply.
What a real letter never says or asks
A real Extra Help or MSP letter is simple: it says you may qualify, it explains the programs in plain language, and it tells you how to apply. That is all it does. Here is what it never does.
- It never asks for a payment or a fee. Applying for Extra Help and for an MSP is always free.
- It never asks for your bank account details, your Social Security number, or your Medicare number.
- It never threatens to cancel your Medicare, cut off your benefits, or charge you a penalty if you do not respond today.
- It never includes a link to click, or a form asking you to confirm personal information online.
- It never pressures you to decide on the spot. You can read it, set it aside, and apply when you are ready.
If a letter, text, or email about Extra Help or an MSP breaks any of these rules, stop. It is not the real program.
The scam version: the cold call
The real notification comes by mail first. So when the phone rings instead, treat it as suspicious. A surprise call using Extra Help or Medicare Savings Program language is often an insurance agent pitching a Medicare Advantage plan, or a scammer after your Medicare number.
The pitches sound helpful. The most common is the money-back pitch: they say you qualify for Extra Help, so your Part B premium will stop coming out of your check, and the money comes back to you. Others promise extra benefits if you switch plans: groceries, gas, prescriptions, a monthly stipend, or a plan upgrade. The call ends the same way every time, with a request for your Medicare number, your Social Security number, or your bank details so they can enroll you on the spot.
Do not share them. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Social Security Administration will not call you to ask for financial information or to update a card, and they will not ask for your Medicare number on an unsolicited call. A real letter never turns into a phone call asking for the same details. Hang up, and if you want to check whether you qualify, call 1-800-772-1213 yourself.
What to do, in order
- Read the letter. Check that it names Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program, that it invites you to apply, and that it asks for no payment and no personal details.
- Verify it. Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or sign in to your My Social Security account and check your notices there. If the letter is real, it will match what Social Security has on file.
- Apply, free. For Extra Help, apply online at ssa.gov/extrahelp, by phone at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., or in person at your local Social Security office. You can apply any time, before or after you enroll in Part D. For an MSP, apply through your state Medicaid office.
- Get free help. Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP, gives free, unbiased help with these applications. Call 1-877-839-2675 or visit shiphelp.org.
- If you already shared details, act fast. Call your bank first if you shared financial details, then call 1-800-MEDICARE to ask about protecting your Medicare number, and report the call at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Then watch your Medicare Summary Notices for charges you do not recognize.
If the wording of your letter is confusing, our Letter Explainer will read it in plain English, give you a checklist of what to do next, and write a call script you can use when you phone Social Security. Photograph the letter or paste the text, and it explains it in seconds.
Got a letter about Extra Help or an MSP?
Upload a photo or paste the text for a plain-English explanation, a checklist, and a call script.
Check It Now — Free →Frequently asked questions
I got a letter saying I may qualify for Extra Help. Is it real?
Usually, yes. Social Security mails these letters every May and June to people on Medicare whose benefit suggests they may qualify. The letter invites you to apply; it does not mean you automatically qualify. Verify it by calling 1-800-772-1213 or checking your notices in your My Social Security account before you act on it.
Do I have to pay to apply for Extra Help or an MSP?
No. Applying for Extra Help and for a Medicare Savings Program is always free. Any letter, call, or website that asks for a fee to apply is a scam. Apply at ssa.gov/extrahelp, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or through your state Medicaid office.
What is the difference between Extra Help and a Medicare Savings Program?
Extra Help pays for part of your prescription drug costs under Part D: premiums, deductibles, and copays. A Medicare Savings Program pays your Part B premium each month, and may also help with the deductible and copays. You apply for them separately, and you can qualify for both.
I got a call about Extra Help instead of a letter. Is it a scam?
Treat it as suspicious. Real notification comes by mail first. A surprise call using Extra Help or MSP language is often an insurance agent pitching a Medicare Advantage plan, or a scammer after your Medicare number. Hang up, do not share details, and call 1-800-772-1213 yourself if you want to check.
What are the 2026 income limits for Extra Help and MSPs?
For 2026, Medicare lists the Extra Help yearly income limit at $23,940 for one person and $32,460 for a married couple, with resources under $18,090 and $36,100. For Medicare Savings Programs, the federal monthly income limits start at $1,350 for one person and $1,824 for a couple. Limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii, states can raise the MSP limits, and the numbers change each year, so check the current figures before you apply.
What if I already shared my Medicare number with a caller?
Act fast. Call your bank first if you shared financial details, then call 1-800-MEDICARE to ask about protecting your Medicare number, and report the call at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Watch your Medicare Summary Notices for charges you do not recognize. Medicare decides whether a new number is issued, so no one can promise you one.
Related: Medicare Scams: The Complete Guide →
Related: Letter Explainer: Understand Any Letter in Plain English →
Related: Does Medicare Call You About Benefits? →
Related: Creditable Coverage Letter: What It Means and What to Keep →
Sources: Social Security Administration, POMS HI 00815.023, Medicare Savings Programs Income and Resource Limits; Social Security Administration, Apply for Medicare Part D Extra Help (ssa.gov); Medicare.gov, Extra Help (Low Income Subsidy), 2026 income and resource limits; National Council on Aging, Is My Social Security Letter About Medicare Extra Help or MSP a Scam?; Federal Trade Commission, ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Last updated November 1, 2026.