Persons with limited resources may qualify for extra help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage. As a general rule, your personal assets must be less than $12,510 (single) or $25,010 (married), and you must fit under Social Security’s income limits. For 2009, those limits were $16,245 for a single person, $21,855 for a married couple living together. By the way, personal assets do not include your home or your car. If you think you might qualify for extra help, apply online by visiting the “Help With Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs” section on the homepage of the Social Security website, ssa.gov. If you can’t afford a Part D plan, you might qualify for Medicaid. Persons covered by Medicaid generally will not be penalized if their income rises and they need to switch to a Part D plan later.