Extra Help & Paying Less
How do I apply for Extra Help?
Last reviewed: · Big Sioux Benefits Data Desk
Apply through Social Security, online at ssa.gov or by calling 1-800-772-1213. The application is free, there is no penalty for applying and being turned down, and you can apply at any time of year rather than waiting for an enrollment window. Some people qualify automatically and never need to apply at all.
The qualifier, and it is a genuinely useful feature: when you apply for Extra Help, Social Security will send your information to your state to start a Medicare Savings Program application as well, unless you tell them not to on the form. Medicare Savings Programs help with Part B premiums and other Medicare costs, which is a separate and often larger benefit. Leaving that box alone is usually the right move.
What to have ready
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Social Security number | Identifies you and your spouse on the application |
| Bank account statements | Countable resources such as checking and savings |
| Statements for stocks, bonds, or other investments | Also countable resources |
| Income information for you and your spouse | Wages, Social Security, pensions, and other income |
| Tribal distribution paperwork, if applicable | Trust per capita funds are excluded, gaming distributions are not |
Your home and your vehicle are not counted, so leave them out of your own mental arithmetic. If the paperwork is the obstacle, free help is available and worth using: SHIINE, South Dakota's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, will sit down with you and complete the application at no cost, at 1-800-536-8197, with offices in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Milbank. They do not sell insurance. If you qualify but are not yet in a drug plan, LI NET can cover you in the meantime.
Sources
- Social Security Administration — Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs — accessed 2026-08-21
- Medicare.gov — Help with drug costs (Extra Help) — 2026 limits and amounts; accessed 2026-08-21
- SHIINE — South Dakota's State Health Insurance Assistance Program — accessed 2026-08-21
- Medicare.gov — Medicare Savings Programs — accessed 2026-08-21
Related questions
Is there a deadline to apply for Extra Help?
No. You can apply at any time of year, and you can reapply whenever your income or resources change. This is different from most Medicare enrollment, which is restricted to specific windows.
What happens after I am approved?
Social Security notifies you, and if you are not already in a Medicare drug plan you will generally be enrolled in one automatically so that you get the savings you qualify for. You can pick a different drug plan if you prefer, and people with Extra Help can change drug plans once per month.
Drug costs turn on your specific prescriptions, so the arithmetic is worth doing once, properly: book a free, no-pressure conversation, see your county's South Dakota plan lineup, or browse all answers. SHIINE, the state's free counseling program, is at 1-800-536-8197 and sells nothing.
Big Sioux Benefits is a licensed insurance agency, not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or SHIINE (South Dakota's SHIP) for all of your options.