Medicare Savings Programs Can Pay the Part B Premium. Advocates Say Too Few People Use Them
(Source: CMS.gov, Center for Medicare Advocacy, Senior Simple, Benefits USA, Grants for Seniors)
For many people with Medicare, the Part B premium comes straight out of the Social Security check. People with limited income and savings may be able to have the state pay it, and in some cases pay more, through a set of programs most beneficiaries never use.
CMS describes the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) as financial assistance for low-income seniors and people with disabilities that helps pay Medicare premiums and may also cover deductibles, coinsurance and copayments. The Center for Medicare Advocacy published an October 1 article calling the programs still woefully underused.
The three main programs
- QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) is the most generous. It pays the Part B premium and the Part A premium if one is owed, along with deductibles, coinsurance and copays.
- SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary) pays the Part B premium only.
- QI (Qualifying Individual) also pays the Part B premium only, but it works differently. Funding is limited, applications are approved first come, first served, people who had QI the previous year get priority, and applicants must reapply every year.
What it’s worth
The 2026 Part B premium is $202.90 a month, so a program that pays it saves about $2,434.80 a year. QMB also covers the $283 Part B deductible and the $1,736 Part A hospital deductible.
2026 income and resource limits
Based on figures reported for 2026, the monthly income limits are $1,350 for an individual and $1,824 for a couple under QMB, $1,616 and $2,184 under SLMB, and $1,816 and $2,455 under QI. The resource limits are $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a couple. These are federal-level figures. Programs are state-run, and applicants must meet their state’s income and resource rules, so the limits can differ by state.
Added protections
- People enrolled in QMB, SLMB or QI automatically qualify for Extra Help with Part D drug costs, with no separate application.
- QMB enrollees can’t be billed by Medicare providers for Part A and Part B cost sharing for covered services. The protection applies in Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, though a small Medicaid copayment may still apply in some situations.
What to do
A state Medicaid office or a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor can help determine eligibility and apply. SHIP counseling is free through shiphelp.org. Open Enrollment runs through December 7, but MSP applications are handled through the state, not through a plan, so check with the state about timing. The 2027 Part B premium has not been announced as of this writing, and an MSP covers whatever the standard premium turns out to be. The 2027 income limits are also not yet published.
Sources: CMS.gov: Medicare Open Enrollment announcement | Center for Medicare Advocacy | Senior Simple | Benefits USA | Grants for Seniors | Covered USA | Seniors Secrets | USA Benefits Now