Based on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
recently released 2023
Medicare Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) landscape data, although there are more 2023 stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP) plan options, the total number of 2023 PDPs qualifying for the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) $0 premium will decrease, with some states offering fewer $0 premium LIS-qualifying 2023 drug plan options
The total number of stand-alone 2023 Medicare Part D prescription drug
plans across the country will increase 4.6% to 801
plans from 766 plans currently offered in 2022. However, the total number of $0 premium LIS-qualifying PDPs
decreased in 2023 (see second chart below) from 198 qualifying plans in 2022 to 191 LIS plans in 2023.
In addition, the number of unique 2023 Medicare Part D plans that qualify for the LIS $0 premium has
fallen to nine (9) prescription drug plans from eleven (11) qualifying plans in 2022 - the lowest level
since the start of the Medicare Part D program.
The good news is that many states will offer
the same number of
Medicare Part D plans qualify for the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) $0 premium
benchmark in 2023 as compared to 2022.
Overall, thirteen (13) states will lose one (1) LIS qualifying plan option, thirty-six (36) states will continue to have the same number of options, and
two (2) states will add one (1) LIS $0 premium qualifying Medicare Part D plan.
As an example of state plan changes, New Mexico will offer seven (7) LIS $0 premium qualifying 2023 Medicare Part D plans as compared to the six (6) LIS-qualifying plans in 2022.
- The state with the smallest selection of $0-premium LIS 2023 Medicare Part D plans is...
The state with the smallest selection of 2023 Medicare Part D plans qualifying for the
LIS $0 premium is
New York with three (3) plans followed closely by
California,
Florida, and
Ohio -- all offering only four (4) LIS $0-premium qualifying Medicare Part D plans.
-
The state with the largest selection of LIS-qualifying $0 premium Medicare Part D plans is...
The state offering the largest selection of $0 premium LIS plans continues to be Arizona whose residents will have eight (8) LIS plan options.
- The state with the largest number of LIS recipients is...
From our national stand-alone PDP-Facts page, here is a table showing a comparison of the 2022 and 2023 Medicare Part D plans qualifying for the $0 premium Low-Income Subsidy.
$0 Premium LIS Qualified stand-alone 2023 Medicare Part D Plans (as compared to 2022)
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Note: Not all Medicare Part D plans are available in every state. You can click the chart heading above to see plan details in California or choose your state.
Historical changes in the total number of LIS-qualifying Medicare Part D plans
Over the past few years, the number of Medicare Part D plans qualifying for the $0-premium Low-Income Subsidy stayed pretty consistent, with an average of between 14 to 16 plans each year.
However, in 2022, there was a meaningful reduction in the number of LIS-qualifying plans and 2023 follows with a further reduction.
A summary 2023 LIS $0 premium facts:
- Thirty-six (36) states have no change in the number of LIS $0 premium plans being offered
- Thirteen (13) states are losing one LIS $0 premium plan
- Two (2) states are adding one LIS $0 premium plan
- Arizona will continue to have the most LIS $0 premium plan options eight (8).
Question: Which Medicare Part D plans qualify for the full Low-Income Subsidy $0 premium in my state?
Each year, insurance companies adjust their Medicare Part D plan premiums, and some
Medicare Part D plans raise 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 number of Medicare Part D plans qualifying for the LIS $0 premium can
change each year. Click on the 2023 premium for your state in our
state low-income subsidy (LIS) benchmark limits
article to see qualifying plans in your state.
More on Medicare Part D Extra Help
The Medicare Part D Extra Help or the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) is a federal program helping low-income Medicare beneficiaries pay a portion of their Medicare Part D prescription drug costs. Based on a person’s income and financial resources, the Extra Help or LIS program pays all or part of a person’s monthly Medicare Part D plan premiums and a significant portion of the beneficiary’s medication costs.
If you qualify for the full-LIS program, you can choose a Medicare Part D plan that qualifies
for your state’s $0 monthly premium or allow yourself to be automatically enrolled in a
plan that qualifies for the $0 premium. If you enroll in a Medicare Part D plan that does
not qualify for the $0 premium, you will pay a portion of the premium. If you choose your own Medicare Part D plan, the monthly premium
amount you will pay is shown under the "Benefit Details" button on our Medicare Part D plan finder.
Please note, our Medicare Part D plan finder allows you to view the premiums
of a Medicare Part D plan based on whether you receive full - or partial-LIS benefits.
The PDP-Finder.com feature looks like this:
Because of changes in the annual Medicare Part D plan premiums and state LIS benchmarks,
some full low-income subsidy qualifying Medicare beneficiaries (such as people who are
Medicare/Medicaid dual-eligible beneficiaries) may be automatically reassigned to new
2023 Medicare Part D plans that will still qualify for the $0 monthly premium.
However, Extra Help recipients who "chose" their own plan in the past
(these beneficiaries are also referred to as "choosers") may
not be auto-reassigned to a new
2023 LIS qualifying plan and may need to select a new
2023 Medicare Part D plan or Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage that still
meets the $0 monthly premium threshold (or pay the small monthly premium).
As reference, 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.
Not sure where to begin?
For more information on Medicare Part D plans that qualify for your state's low-income $0 premium benchmark, please call Medicare toll-free at 1-800-633-4227 and speak with a Medicare representative to learn more about your Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plan options.