Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández filed a bipartisan bill in the U.S. House of Representatives to extend to Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories the Medicare financial assistance that helps low-income people pay for prescription drugs. The measure, the Medicare Low Income Subsidy Equality Act of 2026 (H.R. 10874), would let eligible Medicare beneficiaries in Puerto Rico access the Extra Help program, which covers premiums, deductibles and other drug-related costs.
Eligible beneficiaries in the 50 states and Washington, D.C. can already receive this aid, while Puerto Rico and the other territories are excluded and rely on a different funding system. Hernández said thousands of older adults cannot afford their medicines. Republican Rep. James C. Moylan, who represents Guam, co-sponsored the bill, as did Rep. Darren Soto, who said Puerto Ricans are American citizens and deserve the same benefits.
Solange De Lahongrais, president of MMAPA, also backed the measure, saying where a person lives should not determine access to this assistance. The bill would amend the Social Security Act to set uniform income eligibility criteria using the federal poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., and would adjust federal funding to account for the transition to direct prescription drug subsidies. If approved in time, the expansion would take effect on January 1, 2027.