Who is automatically enrolled
You are automatically enrolled in full Extra Help if you have any of these:
- Medicaid together with Medicare (a “dual eligible”)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- A Medicare Savings Program — QMB, SLMB, or QI
In all three cases, Medicare and Social Security enroll you in full Extra Help and send a letter confirming it. You do not need to fill out the Extra Help application (Form SSA-1020). If you are auto-enrolled, you also get auto-assigned to a benchmark Part D plan so your prescription coverage starts without a gap.
Why this matters
A meaningful number of people who are already dual-eligible reach pages like this one after a Part D premium notice or a pharmacy-counter surprise — not realizing they were already entitled to full help. If you have Medicaid or SSI and you are being asked to pay a Part D premium or full drug prices, something is out of sync: contact your drug plan or a free SHIP counselor to fix it.
Not sure if you have Medicaid or an MSP?
It’s common to be unsure — program names vary by state (Medi-Cal, MassHealth, TennCare, and so on). Your state Medicaid office can confirm your status, and a SHIP counselor can check for you and explain what you have. If you turn out not to be enrolled, the eligibility check and the Medicare Savings Programs guide show your next options.