Medicare Enrollees and the Part D Drug Benefit: Improving Financial Protection through the Low-Income Subsidy

The Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) expanded financial assistance in Medicare’s Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) Program would have benefited nearly 461,000 Partial LIS enrollees had the provision been in effect in 2020. An additional 2.9 million Part D enrollees who were eligible but not enrolled in LIS would also have benefited from the program. More than 661,000 beneficiaries without any drug coverage were also likely eligible, but not enrolled, in LIS in 2020.