State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program Finder
Check if your state offers a Pharmaceutical Assistance Program and find alternatives if it doesn't.
Only 13 states currently operate a State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program (SPAP) as of 2026, down significantly since Medicare Part D reforms reduced the gap these programs used to fill. Select your state below to check, and see alternatives if yours doesn't have one.
SPAPs used to be a much more common source of prescription help, but most states have phased theirs out as federal Medicare Part D coverage improved. Select your state below to check your status.
Check Your State's SPAP Status
Select a state above to see your results.
does not currently operate a State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program
This is true for most states as of 2026. Here's what to check instead:
Extra Help (federal Low-Income Subsidy)
Available nationwide, regardless of state, and often provides substantial help.
Check the Extra Help Eligibility Calculator →Manufacturer Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs)
Offered directly by drug companies, separate from any state program — worth checking regardless of where you live.
2026 Medicare Part D $2,100 Annual Out-of-Pocket Cap
IRA reforms have significantly reduced what a SPAP would have covered anyway.
Check the Part D Out-of-Pocket Calculator →State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs peaked around 2004, when 23 states ran one. Today, only 13 do. The shift happened largely because Medicare Part D, especially recent Inflation Reduction Act reforms including the new $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap, now covers much of what state programs used to step in for. Pennsylvania's program, PACE and PACENET, is one of the better-documented examples still operating: open to residents 65 and older who've lived in the state at least 90 days, based on income with no asset test, though it excludes people already covered by Medicaid's own drug benefit. If your state doesn't have an active SPAP, and most don't, that's not a dead end. Extra Help, the federal Low-Income Subsidy, is available nationwide regardless of state and often provides more substantial help than a SPAP would have. Drug manufacturers also run their own Patient Assistance Programs directly, separate from any state involvement, and worth checking regardless of where you live.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program (SPAP)?
A state-run program that helps eligible residents, often older adults, pay for prescription drugs, separate from federal Medicare programs.
How many states have a SPAP?
Only 13 states operate one as of 2026, down from 23 in 2004, largely because federal Medicare Part D reforms now cover much of what these programs used to fill in.
My state doesn't have a SPAP. What else can help with drug costs?
Check Extra Help (the federal Low-Income Subsidy), manufacturer Patient Assistance Programs offered directly by drug companies, and the 2026 Medicare Part D $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap.
Does having Medicaid affect SPAP eligibility?
Often yes. Many SPAPs, including Pennsylvania's, exclude people already covered by Medicaid's prescription drug benefit, since that coverage already applies.
Is there an asset test for SPAPs?
It varies by state. Pennsylvania's program, for example, has no asset test, but other states' programs may differ.
Are SPAPs the same as manufacturer Patient Assistance Programs?
No. SPAPs are run by state governments. Patient Assistance Programs are run by pharmaceutical manufacturers directly and are available regardless of which state you live in.
SPAP availability and program rules change and are set at the state level. This tool provides general information and does not constitute a guarantee of program availability. For current details, contact your state's Department of Aging or Department of Health.