Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP)
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling in New York. Trained counselors go through your costs and choices with you, and they don't sell plans.
Prescription costs
EPIC: help with drug costs in New York
New York's EPIC program helps people 65 and older pay for prescriptions after their Medicare drug plan pays.
You may qualify if your yearly income is under $75,000 if single or $100,000 if married, and you have or can get a Part D plan. Depending on income, EPIC may also pay part of your Part D premium, and most members pay $3 to $20 per prescription.
How to apply in New York
- By phone
- 1-800-332-3742
- By mail
- EPIC, P.O. Box 15018, Albany, NY 12212-5018
- Who runs it
- EPIC Program (New York State)
Who may qualify in New York
| One person | Married couple | |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly income limit (2026) | Under $75,000 a year | Under $100,000 a year (joint income) |
| Age | 65 or older |
|---|---|
| Medicare drug plan | Must be enrolled, or able to enroll, in a Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage. You can apply first, but you must join a plan before EPIC pays |
| Medicaid | Can't have full Medicaid; people in a Medicare Savings Program or Medicaid spend-down can join |
| Where you live | New York State resident |
What you may get
| What EPIC pays | After any Part D deductible, EPIC pays its share and you pay $3 to $20 per prescription, depending on the drug's cost. It also covers some drugs Part D won't, such as prescription vitamins |
|---|---|
| Help with the Part D premium (2026) | If your income is up to $23,000 single or $29,000 married, EPIC pays your Part D premium up to $58.82 a month |
| Fee Plan (income under $20,000 single or $26,000 married) | You pay a yearly fee of $8 to $300, billed every three months. The fee is waived if you get Extra Help |
| Deductible Plan (higher incomes) | No fee, but you meet a yearly EPIC deductible based on income before the $3 to $20 copays start |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| When to apply | Any time of year. EPIC uses your income from the previous year |
|---|
Good to know
- EPIC members get a once-a-year chance to join or switch Medicare drug plans at any time of year.
- The EPIC application also checks whether you qualify for Extra Help. You must finish that part to get EPIC.
- TTY: 1-800-290-9138.
- New York's Uninsured Care Programs help people living with HIV; they are separate from EPIC.
Sources: New York State Office for the Aging (source 1), Medicare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) (source 2)
Free help
Free help with this in New York
New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA)
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in New York
State help with drug costs in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- New York State Office for the Aging, HIICAP Notebook 2026, Module 11: Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) Program (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Medicare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), Find out if your state has a State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program: New York (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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