2020 Update See:
2020 State Low-Income Subsidy Benchmark Premium Amounts - with a comparison of benchmark changes since 2006 at
https://Q1News.com/763.html.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2019 low-income premium subsidy
amounts (or Benchmark) for Medicare Part D plans on July 31, 2018, and in 2019, thirteen (13) regions will
lower their Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) benchmark values and twenty-one (21) regions will
increase their benchmark premiums. Here are a few highlights of
the 2019 LIS benchmarks:
- Colorado will see the largest benchmark decrease with a 2019 LIS subsidy of $32.00
as compared to $34.18 in 2018. New Jersey had the largest benchmark decrease last year.
- Arkansas will have the largest benchmark increase with a 2019 LIS benchmark
of $24.81
as compared to $22.56
in 2018. Colorado had the largest benchmark increase in 2018.
- Wisconsin will have the highest 2019 benchmark premium of all CMS PDP
regions at $40.80. Last year,
Idaho and Utah, had the
highest benchmark premium at $40.24.
- Texas will have the lowest benchmark in 2019 at $23.96. Arkansas had the lowest benchmark in 2018.
As a reminder, the benchmark premium is the maximum monthly premium that will be paid by CMS for
persons qualifying for LIS or the Medicare Part D "
Extra Help"
program. If a person receiving the
low-income subsidy (LIS)
enrolls in a Medicare Part D plan that has a premium higher than the subsidy amount listed below for
their state, the beneficiary is responsible for paying the difference in premiums* (however, see the
explanation of the de minimis premium policy below).
You can click on the premium subsidy for your state to see the plans for the selected year qualifying for the
$0 premium (2019 Medicare Part D plan information available starting October 1, 2018).
CMS
Region |
State(s) |
2019
Subsidy |
2018
Subsidy |
2017
Subsidy |
2016
Subsidy |
2015
Subsidy |
2014
Subsidy |
2013
Subsidy |
2012
Subsidy |
2011
Subsidy |
2010
Subsidy |
2009
Subsidy |
2008
Subsidy |
2007
Subsidy |
2006
Subsidy |
1 |
NH, ME |
$33.20 |
$34.27 |
$32.99 |
$32.82 |
$29.60 |
$27.78 |
$33.49 |
$31.18 |
$28.90 |
$26.96 |
$28.12 |
$30.64 |
$30.72 |
$36.09 |
2 |
CT, MA, RI, VT |
$36.20 |
$35.58 |
$34.83 |
$31.14 |
$29.65 |
$27.99 |
$31.35 |
$32.04 |
$33.66 |
$34.57 |
$31.74 |
$29.17 |
$27.35 |
$30.27 |
3 |
NY |
$39.33 |
$38.98 |
$40.99 |
$39.73 |
$36.94 |
$37.23 |
$43.22 |
$39.79 |
$38.69 |
$33.32 |
$27.71 |
$24.18 |
$24.45 |
$29.83 |
4 |
NJ |
$37.16 |
$35.97 |
$40.81 |
$39.98 |
$37.64 |
$37.10 |
$37.04 |
$36.00 |
$35.74 |
$35.01 |
$30.99 |
$31.23 |
$28.12 |
$31.37 |
5 |
DE, DC, MD |
$29.98 |
$30.70 |
$33.22 |
$33.45 |
$30.61 |
$32.34 |
$34.96 |
$34.57 |
$34.28 |
$33.71 |
$30.85 |
$30.78 |
$29.65 |
$33.46 |
6 |
PA, WV |
$37.03 |
$37.18 |
$39.45 |
$35.30 |
$33.91 |
$35.50 |
$36.57 |
$34.32 |
$34.07 |
$32.09 |
$29.23 |
$26.59 |
$28.45 |
$32.59 |
7 |
VA |
$30.61 |
$30.05 |
$32.52 |
$32.78 |
$29.47 |
$29.34 |
$30.06 |
$30.95 |
$33.25 |
$34.15 |
$31.72 |
$31.03 |
$30.52 |
$34.42 |
8 |
NC |
$28.91 |
$30.16 |
$31.37 |
$31.07 |
$29.34 |
$28.28 |
$32.04 |
$33.00 |
$34.87 |
$34.90 |
$33.45 |
$33.43 |
$32.13 |
$36.30 |
9 |
SC |
$24.55 |
$23.03 |
$26.03 |
$26.57 |
$28.78 |
$33.87 |
$38.75 |
$36.15 |
$36.90 |
$35.02 |
$32.01 |
$31.12 |
$31.41 |
$34.88 |
10 |
GA |
$25.68 |
$24.53 |
$26.43 |
$25.78 |
$26.47 |
$29.32 |
$34.22 |
$31.18 |
$32.83 |
$29.62 |
$29.16 |
$30.04 |
$31.07 |
$33.15 |
11 |
FL |
$30.25 |
$29.07 |
$29.13 |
$28.07 |
$25.83 |
$22.13 |
$24.76 |
$23.82 |
$25.41 |
$27.45 |
$21.47 |
$19.16 |
$22.63 |
$29.07 |
12 |
AL, TN |
$31.40 |
$30.62 |
$31.76 |
$31.32 |
$30.20 |
$29.67 |
$33.69 |
$31.71 |
$33.72 |
$30.73 |
$29.80 |
$28.29 |
$29.60 |
$32.33 |
13 |
MI |
$32.91
|
$33.28 |
$34.17 |
$33.47 |
$31.46 |
$32.46 |
$34.18 |
$34.37 |
$34.71 |
$34.92 |
$32.08 |
$30.49 |
$30.79 |
$33.22 |
14 |
OH |
$32.92
|
$31.95 |
$32.30 |
$29.52 |
$28.64 |
$28.93 |
$29.87 |
$29.41 |
$29.67 |
$30.47 |
$28.40 |
$26.82 |
$28.51 |
$30.69 |
15 |
IN, KY |
$31.75 |
$31.24 |
$32.06 |
$31.90 |
$31.79 |
$34.95 |
$37.22 |
$35.92 |
$36.44 |
$35.75 |
$33.95 |
$33.50 |
$32.42 |
$35.69 |
16 |
WI |
$40.80 |
$40.04 |
$40.09 |
$37.70 |
$35.32 |
$37.03 |
$38.25 |
$36.67 |
$36.96 |
$38.20 |
$38.15 |
$31.03 |
$29.67 |
$31.27 |
17 |
IL |
$27.37 |
$27.50 |
$28.68 |
$29.60 |
$28.23 |
$28.59 |
$30.94 |
$30.23 |
$30.65 |
$31.59 |
$30.18 |
$30.26 |
$29.66 |
$31.60 |
18 |
MO |
$32.06 |
$29.99 |
$30.07 |
$26.13 |
$28.28 |
$31.21 |
$34.59 |
$32.05 |
$34.92 |
$40.01 |
$31.89 |
$26.71 |
$27.88 |
$31.37 |
19 |
AR |
$24.81
|
$22.56 |
$22.58 |
$20.92 |
$24.76 |
$30.03 |
$34.15 |
$31.62 |
$32.12 |
$28.48 |
$26.89 |
$27.69 |
$30.51 |
$35.45 |
20 |
MS |
$26.85 |
$25.81 |
$26.53 |
$28.14 |
$29.33 |
$30.56 |
$34.56 |
$33.40 |
$33.01 |
$33.02 |
$31.53 |
$31.35 |
$31.70 |
$36.39 |
21 |
LA |
$33.06 |
$30.92 |
$32.80 |
$32.13 |
$31.28 |
$31.75 |
$37.33 |
$35.01 |
$34.75 |
$31.32 |
$27.48 |
$24.62 |
$28.45 |
$34.14 |
22 |
TX |
$23.96 |
$24.59 |
$27.34 |
$28.05 |
$27.31 |
$27.73 |
$31.83 |
$29.99 |
$30.48 |
$27.53 |
$25.36 |
$25.01 |
$26.93 |
$31.68 |
23 |
OK |
$30.84 |
$29.65 |
$30.83 |
$30.72 |
$29.97 |
$30.18 |
$32.80 |
$31.53 |
$33.62 |
$32.31 |
$29.36 |
$28.04 |
$30.35 |
$35.13 |
24 |
KS |
$32.46 |
$31.43 |
$30.27 |
$30.67 |
$30.32 |
$34.21 |
$36.04 |
$36.67 |
$36.94 |
$35.77 |
$33.66 |
$30.62 |
$30.56 |
$33.44 |
25 |
IA, MN, MT, ND, NE, SD, WY |
$35.78 |
$33.99 |
$34.02 |
$30.93 |
$30.00 |
$32.23 |
$34.61 |
$36.02 |
$37.47 |
$37.55 |
$33.19 |
$30.61 |
$29.50 |
$33.11 |
26 |
NM |
$26.61 |
$24.60 |
$22.84 |
$20.72 |
$21.19 |
$19.92 |
$22.54 |
$21.27 |
$22.62 |
$21.42 |
$20.55 |
$19.28 |
$22.72 |
$25.95 |
27 |
CO |
$32.00 |
$34.18 |
$32.04 |
$29.89 |
$28.93 |
$26.90 |
$31.92 |
$32.38 |
$32.85 |
$30.99 |
$30.17 |
$24.59 |
$27.37 |
$28.92 |
28 |
AZ |
$32.62 |
$32.88 |
$35.11 |
$33.17 |
$32.89 |
$27.49 |
$29.41 |
$26.84 |
$27.34 |
$24.75 |
$16.22 |
$15.92 |
$21.37 |
$24.62 |
29 |
NV |
$25.33 |
$27.08 |
$27.09 |
$25.38 |
$24.25 |
$22.78 |
$20.35 |
$22.97 |
$30.06 |
$27.31 |
$20.20** |
$16.64 |
$20.56 |
$23.46 |
30 |
OR, WA |
$33.80 |
$34.58 |
$34.83 |
$33.80 |
$33.81 |
$34.82 |
$37.46 |
$36.45 |
$35.30 |
$35.60 |
$31.76 |
$30.19 |
$28.71 |
$30.60 |
31 |
ID, UT |
$38.66 |
$40.24 |
$39.66 |
$39.51 |
$39.74 |
$39.02 |
$42.15 |
$40.86 |
$40.68 |
$40.89 |
$37.46 |
$33.53 |
$31.77 |
$33.62 |
32 |
CA |
$34.79
|
$35.51 |
$36.28 |
$31.05 |
$28.84 |
$28.10 |
$29.88 |
$30.86 |
$32.35 |
$28.99 |
$24.86 |
$19.80 |
$21.03 |
$23.25 |
33 |
HI |
$25.73 |
$25.38 |
$26.52 |
$26.23 |
$27.91 |
$25.69 |
$33.33 |
$30.41 |
$29.76 |
$25.55 |
$25.01 |
$24.32 |
$26.35 |
$27.44 |
34 |
AK |
$33.60 |
$32.92 |
$34.06 |
$36.36 |
$32.86 |
$37.07 |
$34.71 |
$36.46 |
$36.89 |
$38.00 |
$36.00 |
$36.42 |
$33.56 |
$34.66 |
*Note: Under the CMS de minimis premium policy, "Part D plans are required to charge full-premium subsidy
eligible beneficiaries a monthly Part D beneficiary premium equal to the applicable low-income premium
subsidy amount, if the plan’s beneficiary premium for basic prescription drug coverage exceeds
the low-income premium subsidy amount by $2 or less." See:
**Note: The 2009 low-income benchmark premium amount calculated for region 29 is $19.68.
The low-income premium subsidy amount of $20.20 is the lowest monthly beneficiary premium
for a PDP that offers basic coverage in region 29. Section 1860D-14(b)(3) of the Social
Security Act states that the low-income premium subsidy amount is the greater of the lowest
monthly beneficiary premium for a PDP that offers basic coverage and the low-income benchmark
premium amount.