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Cholesterol · Heart & Blood Pressure

Vascepa Assistance Programs & Grants

Assistance information last verified: August 2026

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Manufacturer programs, charitable grants and Medicare routes for Vascepa (icosapent ethyl) — each checked on its official source.

Can I get help paying for Vascepa?

Yes — and Vascepa is the rare case with a charitable fund that was actually open. TotalAssist's Hypercholesterolemia fund was accepting applications, lists Vascepa by name, and pays $1,900 guaranteed up to $3,800. Its Hypertriglyceridemia fund pays nearly double but was closed. Amarin itself offers a Medicare beneficiary nothing, and generic icosapent ethyl costs $14.00 on the federal cash-price site.

  • TotalAssist Hypercholesterolemia fund: OPEN on August 26, 2026. $1,900 guaranteed, $3,800 maximum. Lists both "Vascepa (Icosapent Ethyl)" and the generic. Requires Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE and income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level adjusted for local cost of living.
  • TotalAssist Hypertriglyceridemia fund: CLOSED, but pays $3,300 guaranteed and $6,600 maximum — nearly double. If your diagnosis is severe hypertriglyceridemia, set an alert on this one as well as applying to the open fund.
  • Generic icosapent ethyl: 31 labelled products across 21 labelers, and $14.00 cash on the federal TrumpRx site.
  • VASCEPA Savings Program: "You will pay the first $9 after your insurer's payment (if any) has been applied", up to $2,250 a year — but "Patients enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, or similar federal or state prescription drug insurance programs are not eligible for this offer."
  • No manufacturer patient assistance program: nothing on Amarin's published pages supplies Vascepa free on an income test. Amarin offers uninsured patients a GoodRx discount instead.
  • HealthWell: its Hypercholesterolemia – Medicare Access fund was closed, and it runs NO hypertriglyceridemia fund at all. Good Days has nothing applicable.

3 of the 7 programs we checked for Vascepa were accepting applications when verified in August 2026.

About Vascepa (icosapent ethyl)

Vascepa is a purified omega-3 capsule — icosapent ethyl — taken alongside a statin to reduce cardiovascular risk in people with raised triglycerides, and separately to lower very high triglyceride levels. It is not the same thing as an over-the-counter fish-oil supplement, and for assistance purposes the important thing is which of its two indications you were prescribed it for, because the two lead to charitable funds paying very different amounts.

Approved uses

  • Reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, coronary revascularisation and unstable angina requiring hospitalisation in adults on maximally tolerated statin therapy who have triglycerides at or above 150 mg/dL and either established cardiovascular disease or diabetes with two or more additional cardiovascular risk factors
  • Reducing triglyceride levels in adults with severe hypertriglyceridemia — triglycerides at or above 500 mg/dL

Manufacturer: Amarin Pharma

Why Vascepa can be expensive on Medicare

Brand Vascepa sits on a brand tier and is taken four capsules a day, so quantities are large. But the cost picture has changed substantially: icosapent ethyl is now thoroughly generic, with 31 labelled products from 21 different labelers on DailyMed, and the federal TrumpRx site prices generic icosapent ethyl at $14.00 while carrying no listing for the brand. Amarin, meanwhile, offers a Medicare beneficiary nothing — its savings program excludes Medicare by name and it publishes no income-tested assistance program.

Medicare coverage context

Vascepa is a capsule you take yourself, so Medicare covers it under Part D or a Medicare Advantage drug plan, with brand Vascepa on a brand tier and generic icosapent ethyl typically on a much lower generic tier. It is not a Medicare-negotiated drug: CMS's selected-drug and Maximum Fair Price file has no Vascepa or icosapent ethyl row for 2026, 2027 or 2028 — unsurprising for a medicine that already has generic competition. Part D out-of-pocket costs are capped at $2,100 in 2026, Extra Help lowers cost-sharing for people with limited income and resources, and the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan can spread what you owe across the year. One practical Medicare note: because Vascepa's cardiovascular indication requires you to be on maximally tolerated statin therapy, a plan reviewing a prior authorisation may want evidence of that, so have your statin history to hand.

Check typical Part D coverage · Estimate your drug costs · Compare Part D drug plans

Vascepa assistance options at a glance

Every program we checked, what kind of help it is, whether people with Medicare can use it, and its status when we verified it. A medication being listed by a program is not the same as the program accepting applications.

About the income limits below: Income limits can differ between assistance programs even when both describe their eligibility as the same percentage of the federal poverty level. The dollar limits shown here come from each program's own published income table, and each program decides which year's poverty guidelines that table is built from and when it takes effect. Treat the figures as belonging to the program they are listed under — they are not interchangeable, and only the program can tell you which table it is applying to your application today.

Vascepa assistance programs compared
ProgramType of helpPeople with MedicareStatus (August 2026)
TotalAssist — Hypercholesterolemia fund Charitable grant may apply Accepting applications
TotalAssist — Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) fund Charitable grant may apply Closed to new applicants
Generic icosapent ethyl (including the TrumpRx cash price) Manufacturer self-pay pricing may apply Accepting applications
VASCEPA Savings Program Commercial copay / savings card not eligible Accepting applications
Amarin patient assistance program — none found Manufacturer patient assistance not stated No program found
HealthWell Foundation — Hypercholesterolemia fund closed, no HTG fund Charitable grant may apply Closed to new applicants
Good Days — no applicable fund Charitable grant not stated No program found
Medicare Extra Help (Part D Low-Income Subsidy) Government program may apply Accepting applications

Manufacturer programs from Amarin Pharma

A patient assistance program (free or low-cost drug by income) is not the same as a copay card (a commercial discount that usually excludes Medicare). Both are listed so you can see which one applies to you.

Manufacturer self-pay pricing

Generic icosapent ethyl (including the TrumpRx cash price)

Multiple manufacturers; cash price listed by the federal TrumpRx site

Accepting applications Medicare: may apply

Status: Widely available on August 26, 2026: DailyMed lists 31 labelled icosapent ethyl products across 21 distinct labelers. The federal TrumpRx site prices generic icosapent ethyl at $14.00 and carries no listing for brand Vascepa.

Alongside the open fund, the other thing to act on. Twenty-one labelers make generic icosapent ethyl, there is nothing to apply for, and the federal cash price is $14.00. Ask your prescriber and plan about it.

If you have Medicare: A generic is not an assistance program and has no Medicare rule to satisfy — it is the same medicine at a generic tier. For a Medicare beneficiary this is usually a larger saving than any program here, and when filled through your plan it counts toward your $2,100 out-of-pocket cap, which a cash purchase does not. TotalAssist lists the generic on the same funds as the brand, so a switch costs nothing in fund eligibility.

What it can cover: The same medicine at a generic tier, or at a published cash price of $14.00 outside insurance.

Who may qualify

  • A prescription written for or substitutable to generic icosapent ethyl
  • No income test, no application and no waiting

How to apply

Ask your prescriber to write for generic icosapent ethyl, or ask your pharmacy whether it can substitute where state law allows. Ask your plan which labeler's product sits on its preferred tier.

TrumpRx icosapent ethyl listing →

Commercial copay / savings card

VASCEPA Savings Program

Amarin Pharma

Accepting applications Medicare: not eligible

Status: Active for commercially insured patients on August 26, 2026: "You will pay the first $9 after your insurer's payment (if any) has been applied", up to a maximum saving of $2,250 annually.

A commercial copay offer. Listed so Medicare readers can rule it out immediately and move to the open TotalAssist fund, and so anyone approaching 65 knows that a $9 Vascepa copay ends when Medicare begins.

If you have Medicare: Amarin's terms are explicit and unusually broad in one respect — they exclude by enrolment rather than by how the claim is processed: "Patients enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, or similar federal or state prescription drug insurance programs are not eligible for this offer." Being enrolled in Medicare is itself the disqualifier, so there is no route through it.

What it can cover: Part of the commercial copay for Vascepa, up to $2,250 a year. Not applicable to Medicare cost-sharing.

Who may qualify

  • Commercial (private or employer-sponsored) prescription insurance
  • Not enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE or a similar federal or state prescription drug program
  • Maximum saving of $2,250 annually

How to apply

Commercially insured patients enrol through the Vascepa savings program site or call 1-855-497-8462. Medicare beneficiaries should apply to the TotalAssist Hypercholesterolemia fund — it was open when we checked — and ask about the generic.

VASCEPA Savings Program terms → 1-855-497-8462

Manufacturer patient assistance

Amarin patient assistance program — none found

Amarin Pharma

No program found Medicare: not stated

Status: On August 26, 2026 the patient support Amarin publishes for Vascepa is the Savings Card for commercially insured patients and, for uninsured patients paying out of pocket, "an exclusive discount…through GoodRx". No income-based program supplying Vascepa free of charge appears on Amarin's pages.

An honest negative. Many brand medicines have a manufacturer program that gives the drug away under an income limit; for Vascepa there is none. Combined with the Medicare exclusion on the savings card, that means Amarin offers a Medicare beneficiary nothing at all — which is why the open fund and the generic carry this page.

If you have Medicare: Not applicable — we found no Amarin patient assistance program to state a Medicare rule. Note what Amarin offers uninsured patients instead: a discount-card arrangement. A discount card is not insurance and, per HealthWell's own eligibility rules, does not count as the insurance those foundations require — so it does not help a Medicare reader and would not substitute for coverage in a charitable application either.

How to apply

Not applicable. If Amarin adds a patient assistance program it would appear on the Vascepa support pages cited here. General enquiries: 1-855-VASCEPA (1-855-827-2372).

Vascepa savings and support → 1-855-827-2372

Charitable grants for Vascepa

Vascepa has the most interesting charitable picture in this expansion, and it repays a couple of minutes' thought. TotalAssist covers it on two funds because its label carries two indications. The Hypercholesterolemia fund was OPEN on August 26, 2026, paying $1,900 guaranteed up to $3,800. The Hypertriglyceridemia fund was closed but pays $3,300 guaranteed up to $6,600 — nearly double, for the same medication. Both list Vascepa and the generic icosapent ethyl by name. So the sensible move for most readers is to apply to the open fund now if your diagnosis fits it, and simultaneously set an alert on the HTG fund, which is the larger prize if severe hypertriglyceridemia is your diagnosis. Note that TotalAssist gives one grant per condition, so this is about which fund matches your diagnosis rather than collecting both. HealthWell's hypercholesterolemia fund was closed and it runs no HTG fund at all; Good Days has nothing. Since Amarin offers a Medicare beneficiary no manufacturer route whatsoever, these funds plus the generic are the whole picture.

Charitable grant

TotalAssist — Hypercholesterolemia fund

Patient Advocate Foundation · Hypercholesterolemia

Accepting applications Medicare: may apply

Status: ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS on August 26, 2026, with a $1,900 guaranteed award and a $3,800 maximum. One of very few open funds encountered anywhere in this expansion.

Both "Vascepa (Icosapent Ethyl)" and the plain generic "Icosapent Ethyl" are named on the approved-medication list, so switching to the generic would not cost you eligibility. Because it was open, an application can produce a decision immediately rather than a wait.

If you have Medicare: This fund requires government-insured coverage — Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE — that covers your qualifying expenses. Medicare beneficiaries are not merely permitted; government insurance is a condition of eligibility. Given that Amarin's own savings program excludes Medicare by name, this fund exists precisely for the readers the manufacturer turns away.

What it can cover: $1,900 guaranteed award and up to $3,800 maximum for medication copays, coinsurance, deductibles and health-insurance premiums. One grant per condition.

Who may qualify

  • Confirmed hypercholesterolemia diagnosis, in treatment, starting within 60 days, or treated in the past 6 months
  • Government-insured coverage (Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE) that covers your qualifying expenses
  • Household income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level, adjusted for your regional cost-of-living index
  • Confirmed diagnosis matching the fund, and in treatment (or starting within 60 days, or treated in the past 6 months)
  • Legal U.S. resident receiving treatment in the U.S. or a U.S. territory

What the application asks for

  • Contact information and Social Security number (or alien number)
  • Annual household income (for pre-screening; proof of income due within 30 days of approval)
  • Health insurance carrier, plan type, policy ID and group number; Medicare supplement or secondary insurance if you have one
  • Copay or coinsurance amounts
  • Your provider's name and contact information, diagnosis (exact date if within 6 months), prescribed medications and treatment plan

How to apply

You (the patient) apply online — it takes about 15 minutes and you learn immediately whether you are approved — or call 866-512-3861, Monday–Friday 8:30am–5:30pm ET. Patient Advocate Foundation verifies your diagnosis and treatment plan directly with your provider and verifies income automatically; you have 30 days after approval to provide proof of income.

Apply to the TotalAssist Hypercholesterolemia fund → 866-512-3861

Charitable grant

TotalAssist — Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) fund

Patient Advocate Foundation · Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG)

Closed to new applicants Medicare: may apply

Status: Closed to new applicants on August 26, 2026 — but with a $3,300 guaranteed and $6,600 maximum award, nearly double the hypercholesterolemia fund for the same medication. TotalAssist has no waitlist, so the notification sign-up is what gets you in when it reopens.

The fund worth watching. "Vascepa (Icosapent ethyl)" is named on its approved-medication list alongside the fibrates, Lovaza, Tryngolza and Redemplo. If your diagnosis is severe hypertriglyceridemia rather than high cholesterol, this is the fund built for you and it pays materially more — so apply to the open hypercholesterolemia fund now if you qualify for it, and set an alert on this one at the same time.

If you have Medicare: Like the hypercholesterolemia fund, this one requires government-insured coverage — Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE. Medicare beneficiaries are eligible when it is open.

What it can cover: When open: $3,300 guaranteed award and up to $6,600 maximum for medication copays, coinsurance, deductibles and health-insurance premiums. One grant per condition.

Who may qualify

  • Confirmed hypertriglyceridemia diagnosis, in treatment, starting within 60 days, or treated in the past 6 months
  • Government-insured coverage (Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE) that covers your qualifying expenses
  • Household income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level, adjusted for your regional cost-of-living index
  • Confirmed diagnosis matching the fund, and in treatment (or starting within 60 days, or treated in the past 6 months)
  • Legal U.S. resident receiving treatment in the U.S. or a U.S. territory

What the application asks for

  • Contact information and Social Security number (or alien number)
  • Annual household income (for pre-screening; proof of income due within 30 days of approval)
  • Health insurance carrier, plan type, policy ID and group number; Medicare supplement or secondary insurance if you have one
  • Copay or coinsurance amounts
  • Your provider's name and contact information, diagnosis (exact date if within 6 months), prescribed medications and treatment plan

How to apply

Sign up for fund notifications (text, email or automated call) at totalassist.org/notify. When it opens: You (the patient) apply online — it takes about 15 minutes and you learn immediately whether you are approved — or call 866-512-3861, Monday–Friday 8:30am–5:30pm ET. Patient Advocate Foundation verifies your diagnosis and treatment plan directly with your provider and verifies income automatically; you have 30 days after approval to provide proof of income.

Get notified when the HTG fund opens → 866-512-3861

Charitable grant

HealthWell Foundation — Hypercholesterolemia fund closed, no HTG fund

HealthWell Foundation · Hypercholesterolemia – Medicare Access

Closed to new applicants Medicare: may apply

Status: The Hypercholesterolemia – Medicare Access fund was closed on August 26, 2026, and HealthWell runs NO hypertriglyceridemia fund of any kind — so one of Vascepa's two indications has no HealthWell route at all.

One of Vascepa's two diagnoses has a HealthWell fund and it was closed; the other has none. Set the alert on the hypercholesterolemia fund, but note that TotalAssist is the foundation with the fund that covers severe hypertriglyceridemia.

If you have Medicare: The hypercholesterolemia fund is a Medicare Access fund, built specifically for people with Medicare, which makes it worth an alert even while closed.

What it can cover: When open: copays, coinsurance, deductibles and health-insurance premiums for hypercholesterolemia.

Who may qualify

  • A confirmed hypercholesterolemia diagnosis, verified by your prescriber
  • Some form of health insurance (Medicare qualifies) that covers part of the cost of the drug — discount cards do not count
  • Social Security number (used to prevent duplicate applications)
  • Diagnosis verified by a physician's, nurse practitioner's or physician assistant's signature
  • Treatment in the United States

What the application asks for

  • Some form of health insurance (Medicare qualifies) that covers part of the cost of the drug — discount cards do not count
  • Social Security number (used to prevent duplicate applications)
  • Diagnosis verified by a physician's, nurse practitioner's or physician assistant's signature
  • Treatment in the United States

How to apply

When a fund is open, apply online or by phone; your provider verifies the diagnosis by signature. When a fund is closed, sign up for that fund's real-time alerts — HealthWell says replenished funds reopen "as quickly as possible."

HealthWell disease funds and alerts → (800) 675-8416

Charitable grant

Good Days — no applicable fund

Good Days

No program found Medicare: not stated

Status: Good Days' published disease list on August 26, 2026 contained 57 programs and none was hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia or any cardiovascular condition.

An honest negative, checked so you do not spend time on a third foundation that has no fund for you.

If you have Medicare: Good Days accepts Medicare beneficiaries for the diseases it covers, but it covers no diagnosis that applies to Vascepa.

How to apply

Not applicable today. The diseases-covered page shows every fund Good Days runs.

Good Days diseases covered →

How to apply for Vascepa assistance

  1. Step 1 — Find the applicable assistance program

    For Vascepa on Medicare in August 2026 there is an open fund and a cheap generic, which is an unusually good position:

    • Apply to the TotalAssist Hypercholesterolemia fund now if your diagnosis fits — it was open, it lists Vascepa, and it gives an immediate decision.
    • Set an alert on the TotalAssist Hypertriglyceridemia fund at the same time. It was closed, but it pays nearly double, and it is the fund built for severe hypertriglyceridemia.
    • Ask your prescriber and plan about generic icosapent ethyl — 31 labelled products from 21 labelers, and $14.00 cash on the federal TrumpRx site.
    • Limited income and resources → Medicare Extra Help through Social Security, which you can hold alongside a fund grant.
    • Set alerts on the HealthWell Hypercholesterolemia – Medicare Access fund as a further option.
    • Do not spend time on Amarin — its savings program excludes anyone enrolled in Medicare, and it publishes no patient assistance program.

  2. Step 2 — Check whether applications are currently open

    One fund was open and two were closed — worth confirming before you apply, since status changes quickly.

    • TotalAssist Hypercholesterolemia: OPEN when we checked. The fund page shows current status and award amounts.
    • TotalAssist Hypertriglyceridemia: closed, at $3,300 guaranteed / $6,600 maximum when open.
    • HealthWell Hypercholesterolemia – Medicare Access: closed. HealthWell runs no HTG fund at all.
    • Amarin: no patient assistance program to check. The Vascepa support pages are where a new one would appear.

  3. Step 3 — Check eligibility

    The two TotalAssist funds share eligibility rules but differ on diagnosis and award:

    • TotalAssist (both funds): government insurance (Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE) covering Vascepa; income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level adjusted for your regional cost-of-living index; a confirmed diagnosis matching the fund, in treatment, starting within 60 days, or treated in the past 6 months.
    • Which fund fits: hypercholesterolemia for the open one, hypertriglyceridemia for the closed higher-paying one. TotalAssist gives one grant per condition.
    • HealthWell (when open): insurance that covers part of the drug's cost, a prescriber-verified hypercholesterolemia diagnosis, and treatment in the United States. Note that a discount card does not count as insurance for this purpose.
    • Extra Help: income below about $23,940 a year for one person or $32,460 for a couple, and countable resources limited to $18,090 or $36,100 in 2026.
    • VASCEPA Savings Program: commercial insurance only; anyone enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE is excluded.

  4. Step 4 — Gather your information

    One number decides which fund you should be applying to:

    • Your most recent triglyceride result, and whether your diagnosis is recorded as hypercholesterolemia or severe hypertriglyceridemia. The label's two indications use 150 mg/dL and 500 mg/dL as thresholds, and the funds follow the diagnosis.
    • Your statin history — Vascepa's cardiovascular indication requires maximally tolerated statin therapy, and a plan reviewing a prior authorisation may ask.
    • Contact information and Social Security number, for the TotalAssist application.
    • Health insurance carrier, plan type, policy ID and group number, plus any Medicare supplement or secondary insurance.
    • Your copay or coinsurance amount for Vascepa, and your provider's name and contact details.

  5. Step 5 — Complete the application

    Who fills out what:

    • TotalAssist: you apply online in about 15 minutes and learn immediately whether you are approved, or call 866-512-3861, Monday–Friday 8:30am–5:30pm ET. Patient Advocate Foundation verifies your diagnosis with your provider.
    • HealthWell (when open): apply online or by phone; your provider verifies the diagnosis by signature.
    • Extra Help: you (or someone helping you) apply free through Social Security — online, by phone on 1-800-772-1213, or at an office. There is never a fee.
    • Generic switch: nothing to apply for — a prescribing and formulary question.

  6. Step 6 — Submit and wait for a determination

    What to expect:

    • TotalAssist: an immediate online decision, with proof of income due within 30 days of approval.
    • HealthWell (when open): a decision once your provider returns the diagnosis verification.
    • Extra Help: Social Security notifies you by mail; your Part D plan then applies the lower copays.

  7. Step 7 — If the program is closed or you don't qualify

    With a generic this cheap, the fallback is unusually comfortable:

    • Ask specifically about generic icosapent ethyl. It is the same medicine at a generic tier, it is on both TotalAssist fund lists alongside the brand, and the federal cash price is $14.00.
    • If you were prescribed Vascepa for severe hypertriglyceridemia, keep the HTG fund alert running — at $3,300 guaranteed and $6,600 maximum it is the largest charitable award in this entire expansion.
    • Ask your prescriber's office about a formulary exception if prior authorisation is the barrier; have your statin history and triglyceride results ready.
    • Do not substitute an over-the-counter fish-oil supplement for prescription icosapent ethyl on cost grounds — they are not the same product, and that is a decision for your prescriber.
    • Apply for Extra Help even if you assume you earn too much; the limits are higher than most people expect.
    • Call AltaMedicare — we will work through every route above with you, free.

What you'll need

Only items the programs above actually ask for. Gather these before you start.

  • Medicare card and your Part D or Medicare Advantage drug-plan card — plan name, member ID and group number
  • Prescription details — medication name, strength and dose; prescriber name, office phone and address
  • Diagnosis and date of diagnosis — TotalAssist needs the exact date if diagnosed within the past 6 months
  • Household size and annual household income — and proof — tax return, Social Security or pension statements, or pay stubs
  • Your most recent triglyceride result and your recorded diagnosis — this decides which TotalAssist fund fits — hypercholesterolemia (open, $1,900/$3,800) or hypertriglyceridemia (closed, $3,300/$6,600)
  • Your statin history — Vascepa's cardiovascular indication requires maximally tolerated statin therapy, and plans may ask on prior authorisation
  • Your Vascepa capsule strength — 0.5 gram or 1 gram — and how many capsules a day you take

If assistance is unavailable

A closed fund or a denial is not the end of the road. Check these next:

  1. Apply to the TotalAssist Hypercholesterolemia fund — it was accepting applications when we checked, lists Vascepa and its generic, and gives an immediate decision. TotalAssist Hypercholesterolemia fund
  2. Ask your prescriber and plan about generic icosapent ethyl, which DailyMed lists under 31 separate labels from 21 labelers and the federal TrumpRx site prices at $14.00. TrumpRx
  3. Sign up for TotalAssist fund notifications so you hear the moment a Vascepa fund reopens — there is no waitlist or queue, so speed matters. TotalAssist notifications
  4. Sign up for HealthWell fund alerts for the same reason; HealthWell says closed funds reopen as funding is replenished. HealthWell disease funds
  5. Check Medicare Extra Help — it does not depend on a fund balance and lowers the cost of every covered drug, not just this one. Medicare Extra Help explained
  6. Ask your doctor's office — many practices have staff who handle assistance applications routinely and can request a formulary exception or a lower-cost alternative.
  7. Use the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to spread this year's out-of-pocket costs across monthly payments (it does not lower the total). Medicare.gov
  8. Compare Part D and Medicare Advantage drug plans during the fall enrollment period — the tier and cost-sharing for Vascepa differ from plan to plan. Compare Part D plan options

Could Medicare Extra Help reduce your Vascepa costs?

Extra Help is not a grant for Vascepa. It is a Medicare program that lowers what qualifying beneficiaries pay for their Part D premium, deductible and every covered prescription — so it is worth checking even when a charitable fund is closed, because it does not depend on fund balances.

Extra Help carries full weight here because there is no manufacturer program to weigh it against. There is no conflict to manage and nothing to choose between: if your income and resources are limited, apply. With full Extra Help a covered brand-name drug costs about $12.65 in 2026, and a generic costs less still — which for icosapent ethyl, already priced at $14.00 as a generic on the federal cash-price site, is a small saving stacked onto a small one. Extra Help and the TotalAssist funds can be held together, since the funds require government insurance rather than excluding subsidy holders.

In 2026, people with full Extra Help generally pay no more than $12.65 for a covered brand-name drug. Income must be below about $23,940 a year for one person ($32,460 for a couple) and countable resources under $18,090 ($36,100 for a couple). Apply free through Social Security — online, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person — and never pay anyone to apply for you.

Extra Help explained · Medicare Savings Programs · Estimate your drug costs · Free prescription cost review

Government program

Medicare Extra Help (Part D Low-Income Subsidy)

Medicare / Social Security Administration

Accepting applications Medicare: may apply

Status: Year-round federal program (figures for 2026)

Not a grant for one drug — a Medicare program that lowers what qualifying beneficiaries pay for their Part D premium, deductible and every covered prescription.

If you have Medicare: For people with Medicare Part D or a Medicare Advantage drug plan who have limited income and resources.

What it can cover: Part D premium and deductible (often to $0) and reduced copays — generally no more than $12.65 for a covered brand-name drug in 2026 with full Extra Help.

Who may qualify

  • Income below 150% of the federal poverty level — about $23,940 a year for one person or $32,460 for a married couple in 2026.
  • Countable resources (savings, investments — not your home or car) limited to $18,090 for an individual or $36,100 for a married couple living together in 2026 (Medicare.gov figures, which include a burial-expense allowance).
  • Automatic if you have Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or a Medicare Savings Program.

What the application asks for

  • Social Security number and Medicare number
  • Income (Social Security, pensions, wages) for you and a spouse you live with
  • Value of savings, investments and other countable resources

How to apply

You (or someone helping you) apply free through Social Security — online, by phone, or at a Social Security office. There is never a fee to apply.

Apply for Extra Help at SSA.gov → 1-800-772-1213

Key terms on this page

Patient assistance program (PAP)
A manufacturer program that provides its medication free or at low cost to people who meet income and insurance rules. Many PAPs accept Medicare Part D enrollees; each sets its own criteria.
Copay card / savings card
A manufacturer discount for commercially insured patients. Federal anti-kickback rules mean these cards generally cannot be used with Medicare, Medicaid or other government insurance.
Charitable copay grant
Money from a nonprofit foundation (for example HealthWell or Patient Advocate Foundation) that pays eligible copays or coinsurance for a specific diagnosis. A drug can be listed while the fund is closed to new applicants.
Federal poverty level (FPL)
A federal income measure that assistance programs use as a yardstick — "300% of FPL", "500% of FPL". The percentage is a rule, but the dollar figure behind it comes from a table each program publishes itself, built on a chosen year of the HHS poverty guidelines. Two programs can quote the same percentage in the same year and still list different dollar limits; compare each program against its own table, not against another program.
Medicare Extra Help
The Part D Low-Income Subsidy: a Medicare program that lowers or eliminates Part D premiums, deductibles and copays for beneficiaries with limited income and resources. You apply through Social Security.
Maximum Fair Price (MFP)
The price Medicare negotiated for a selected drug under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. It applies to Part D plans, not to the pharmacy cash price, and it lowers what plans and enrollees pay for that drug.

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Common Questions

Vascepa assistance FAQ

Does Medicare cover Vascepa?
Yes — Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage drug plans generally cover it, with brand Vascepa on a brand tier and generic icosapent ethyl typically on a much lower generic tier. Prior authorisation is common, and because the cardiovascular indication requires maximally tolerated statin therapy, a plan may ask for your statin history. Part D out-of-pocket costs are capped at $2,100 in 2026, and Medicare Extra Help can bring a covered brand-name copay to about $12.65.
Which charity fund should I apply to for Vascepa?
It depends on your diagnosis, and the difference is substantial. TotalAssist covers Vascepa on two funds because its label has two indications. The Hypercholesterolemia fund was OPEN when we checked on August 26, 2026, paying $1,900 guaranteed up to $3,800. The Hypertriglyceridemia fund was closed but pays $3,300 guaranteed up to $6,600 — nearly double. If your recorded diagnosis is severe hypertriglyceridemia, that is the fund built for you and the one to set an alert on; if it is hypercholesterolemia, apply to the open fund now. TotalAssist gives one grant per condition, so this is about matching your diagnosis rather than collecting both.
Is there a Vascepa patient assistance program for people on Medicare?
No. Amarin's published support for Vascepa is a savings card for commercially insured patients and, for uninsured patients, a GoodRx discount arrangement — and no income-based program that supplies Vascepa free of charge. The savings card excludes Medicare outright: "Patients enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, or similar federal or state prescription drug insurance programs are not eligible for this offer." So Amarin offers a Medicare beneficiary nothing, which is why the open TotalAssist fund and the generic carry this page.
Is there a generic for Vascepa?
Yes, and it is thoroughly established. DailyMed lists 31 labelled icosapent ethyl products across 21 distinct labelers, including Amneal, Apotex, Aurobindo, Camber and Dr. Reddy's. The federal TrumpRx site prices generic icosapent ethyl at $14.00 and carries no listing for brand Vascepa. Both TotalAssist funds list the generic alongside the brand, so switching would not cost you fund eligibility.
Is Vascepa the same as fish oil from the pharmacy shelf?
No, and it is worth being clear about, because the price difference makes the substitution tempting. Vascepa is a prescription medicine — the label describes it as "a lipid-regulating agent" containing "icosapent ethyl, an omega-3 fatty acid ethyl ester" — approved with specific indications and specific triglyceride thresholds behind them. Over-the-counter fish-oil supplements are not equivalent products and are not regulated the same way. If cost is the problem, generic icosapent ethyl at $14.00 is the substitution to ask your prescriber about, not a supplement.
Is Vascepa part of Medicare drug price negotiation?
No. CMS's selected-drug and Maximum Fair Price file has no Vascepa or icosapent ethyl row for initial price applicability year 2026, 2027 or 2028 — unsurprising for a medicine that already has generic competition, since the program selects drugs without it. Your cost is set by your plan's tier and cost-sharing, and above all by whether you are dispensed the brand or the generic. See all prescription assistance options.

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Assistance information last verified August 2026. Program details — fund status, eligibility, prices, phone numbers — change often; confirm with each program before applying. AltaMedicare does not administer, fund or approve any assistance program. Not medical advice.

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Bret can help you understand your Medicare prescription coverage and where to look for Vascepa assistance — free, no pressure. We don't award grants or decide eligibility; the programs above do. We help you find and apply to the right ones.

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