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The Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition (LINET) program offers immediate, short-term prescription drug coverage for low-income older adults. Its purpose is to bridge the gap between enrolling in Medicare and signing up for a Part D plan.
Do you or someone you know qualify for the Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy ("Extra Help")? You may be eligible for LINET.
What is the Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition (LINET) Program?
Established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2010, and administered exclusively by Humana, LINET helps people who otherwise can't afford their prescription drugs.
You must meet certain guidelines to qualify for LINET (more on this below). And benefits are temporary—typically lasting 1-2 months.1 This generally covers the time it takes to choose and sign up for a Part D plan that meets your needs. (If you do not select one yourself, Medicare will automatically enroll you in a benchmark plan. Benchmark plans are prescription drug plans with lower premiums than your state usually charges and that are covered by Extra Help.
Who qualifies for LINET?
The table below shows who is eligible for LINET.
LINET Eligibility At A Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Baseline Requirements | Additional Conditions | AND … |
| You first must both be:
✅ A permanent U.S. resident | You then must be:
✅ Eligible for the Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy(“Extra Help”) | As well as:
➡️ Have both: |
|
|
| OR … |
| ➡️ Have both: ✅ Medicare ✅ Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | ||
| OR … | ||
| ✅ Have Medicare and ✅ Qualify for a Medicare Savings Program (MSP) | ||
Source: Humana, LINET Beneficiary Resources
You also can't currently be enrolled in any prescription drug plan, including those provided by:1
- Medicare Part D
- Retiree drug subsidy (RDS)
- Veterans Affairs coverage
And one other important thing to note: As mentioned above, Medicare will automatically sign you up for a drug plan if you receive Extra Help—unless you specifically tell them not to. If you choose to opt out of this auto-enrollment, you will not be eligible for LINET.
Can LINET be retroactive for Medicare Part D?
Yes, in certain situations.
Qualifying for retroactive benefits means that you would have been eligible for them in the past had you been aware of them or known to apply.
If you retroactively qualify for either Medicaid or SSI, then LINET will pay for your prescription drugs for the same prior time period that you were uncovered, up until your benefits begin.2
How does this work? You submit a claim, and Humana reimburses any medication costs incurred during eligible LINET periods.
What medications are on the LINET formulary?
The list of covered drugs under LINET includes all of the same ones covered by Medicare Part D. There are some legal restrictions and exclusions, including:1,3
- Drugs to treat anorexia, weight loss, or weight gain (some exceptions apply)
- Fertility drugs
- Drugs for cosmetic hair regrowth or other cosmetic purposes
- Medications solely to treat cold and cough symptoms
- Erectile dysfunction drugs
- Prescription vitamins and minerals (except prenatal vitamins and fluoride)
- Over-the-counter medications
Some other restrictions apply as well, mostly having to do with safety concerns. For example, LINET coverage for some medications may carry a specific supply limit even if your prescription is for a longer period of time. A pharmacist can help you figure this out.
Do I have to use a specific LINET pharmacy?
No. You may visit any pharmacy. Simply bring your prescription and Medicare I.D. number with you, and the pharmacist will submit a claim to Humana LINET on your behalf. LINET will reimburse the pharmacy directly; you will not have to pay anything at the counter.
Why is LINET important? How can it help me?
This may best be explained by a story.
Mrs. M is an 88-year-old Alabama resident who, like many of us, lives with several chronic health conditions—including atrial fibrillation (AFib) and hypertension (high blood pressure).
Fortunately, the medications she takes to manage these conditions are quite effective. Unfortunately, they’re also prohibitively expensive. As a widow living on a low fixed income, Mrs. M often faced the impossible choice between paying for her prescriptions or buying groceries.
“This is a common situation that’s only getting worse,” said Dorothea Vafiadis, NCOA Senior Strategist for Healthy Aging. “Drug costs in this country already are higher than nearly anywhere else,” she explained, “and continued inflation adds to the financial strain.”
In fact, more than 1 in 4 American adults say they have trouble affording their medications.4 This includes many of us enrolled in Medicare.
“People skip their pills, break them in half, or don’t fill their prescriptions to begin with,” Vafiadis said. “It’s called ‘cost-related medication nonadherence’, and it negatively affects their health.” Like Mrs. M., some forego basic needs in order to pay for their prescriptions. Others go into debt.
This can be true despite having prescription drug coverage through Medicare Part D or a private plan, Vafiadis continued. That’s because the cost of each plan varies, as well as the drugs they cover. And both can change from year to year.
On top of that, some of us who are eligible for Medicare aren’t enrolled in a prescription drug plan at all. Others who have signed up for coverage, but whose benefits haven’t yet kicked in, also can face insurmountable costs in the time between.
"If you find yourself in this situation, you absolutely should not suffer in silence," said Vafiadis. "There are a variety of financial assistance programs that can help you pay for your medications if you're eligible."
Mrs. M eventually learned about and qualified for the Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy (“Extra Help”). Between the time she did, and the subsidy kicked in, she was able to benefit from LINET assistance. Still, had she known about these options sooner, she could have avoided some of the unnecessary financial stress she’d been experiencing because of her medication costs.
Do you find yourself in a similar situation? LINET can help you, too,
How do I sign up for LINET?
If you’re eligible for the program (see “Who qualifies for LINET?” above), you automatically receive benefits. This happens in one of three ways:5
- Medicare enrolls you (you will receive an official letter from CMS in this case)
- You visit a pharmacy with an immediate prescription drug need
- You submit a receipt to Humana LINET for retroactive prescription reimbursement
Be sure to read our companion article, Navigating LINET, for a step-by-step guide to getting and using these benefits. For expert answers to specific questions, you may also call Humana LINET customer service at the following phone number: 800-783-1307 (TTY: 711). Representatives are available Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.
The bottom line
Far too many older adults in the United States can’t afford their prescriptions—which places a serious financial burden on those who struggle to pay for basic necessities. That’s why CMS created the Medicare Limited Income NET Program (LINET). The purpose of this temporary program is to help eligible enrollees without a drug plan afford their medications on a short-term basis. If you’re eligible for Medicare Extra Help and meet certain other requirements, you may automatically qualify for LINET.
Not sure whether you qualify for Extra Help? Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) can assist. These federally funded programs provide free, impartial advice for Medicare-eligible people and their families. Here, you can get assistance applying for Extra Help, Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs), and other benefits. To find your SHIP, call toll-free 1-877-839-2675 or visit the SHIP website.
Sources
1. Humana. LINET – Beneficiary Resources. Found on the internet at https://www.humana.com/member/medicare-linet-beneficiary-resources
2. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare’s Limited Income NET (LINET) Program for People at the Pharmacy Counter. Found on the internet at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/11328-p-limited-income-net-people-pharmacy-counter.pdf
3. Medicare Rights Center. Medicare Interactive. Drugs excluded from Part D coverage. March 28, 2025. Found on the internet at https://www.medicareinteractive.org/understanding-medicare/medicare-prescription-drug-coverage-part-d/medicare-part-d-coverage/drugs-excluded-from-part-d-coverage
4. Lucas X. Marinacci, M.D. et al. Cost-Related Medication Nonadherence After the Inflation Reduction Act. JAMA Internal Medicine. Found on the internet at https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2846009
5. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition (LINET) Program. Found on the internet at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Prescription-Drug-Coverage/LimitedIncomeandResources/Downloads/11429.pdf
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