Medicare · Guide
Getting help with Medicare costs
If your income is limited, several programs can lower your Medicare costs: Extra Help reduces drug costs, Medicare Savings Programs pay your Part B premium and cost-sharing, full Medicaid (dual eligibility) covers even more, and PACE bundles everything for those who need extra care. You can often qualify for more than one, and applying is free.
Medicare isn’t free, but if your income is limited, several programs can lower what you pay — sometimes to nothing. They cover different costs: some help with your drug bills, some pay your Part B premium and cost-sharing, and some wrap everything together for people who need more support. You can often qualify for more than one, and applying is free. The guides below explain each program and how they fit together.
The programs, one by one
Extra Help
Lower your Part D drug costs, with the full subsidy since 2024.
Read more →Medicare Savings Programs
Help paying your Part B premium and cost-sharing.
Read more →Dual eligibility
Having both Medicare and Medicaid, and how they fit together.
Read more →PACE
All-inclusive care for people who need extra support at home.
Read more →Where to start
If you’re not sure which program fits, start with the overview in can I get help paying for Medicare? A good rule of thumb: Extra Help handles drug costs, Medicare Savings Programs handle premiums and cost-sharing, and qualifying for one often gets you the other. When you’re ready to choose coverage, you can compare the plans available where you live.
Ready to compare?
Ready to compare plans for your situation?
Enter your ZIP and we’ll take you to PlanMatch Medicare to compare the 2026 plans available where you live.