Which Medicare Part D plans qualify for the full Low-Income Subsidy $0 premium in your state? Each year, insurance companies adjust their plan’s monthly premiums. Some Medicare Part D plans adjust their premiums and move their prescription drug plans above the state low-income subsidy (LIS) benchmark limits, while other Part D plan sponsors lower their monthly premiums so that their plans can qualify for a state’s $0 premium. This means that the Medicare Part D plans that qualify for the LIS $0 premium can change each year.
The state with the largest selection of LIS $0 premium plans is Arkansas with 15 Medicare Part D plans qualifying for the 2013 LIS $0 premium, the same as in 2012. The states with the fewest Part D plans qualifying for the 2013 LIS $0 premium include Nevada and Florida both with only two LIS $0 premium Part D plans (Florida had three $0 premium qualifying plans last year).
The state with the most Medicare beneficiaries qualifying for the low-income subsidy is California and there are six Part D plans qualify for the $0 premium. On our national PDP-Facts statistics page (using California as an example), you can scroll to the bottom to see a table showing the 2013 Medicare Part D plans (sorted by Plan ID) qualifying for the $0 premium Low-Income Subsidy.
PLEASE NOTE: Because of changes in the annual Medicare Part D plan premiums and LIS benchmarks, some full low-income subsidy qualifying Medicare beneficiaries may be automatically reassigned to new 2013 Part D plans that will still qualify for the $0 monthly premium. However, Extra Help recipients who chose their own plan in the past will notbe auto-reassigned to a new plan and may need to select a new 2013 Medicare Part D plan that still meets the $0 monthly premium threshold. You can use our PDP-Finder to see LIS qualifying plans in your state. Be sure to select “Yes, show only plans that qualify for $0 premium. Click here to see an example for Texas.