Medicare Savings Program: Can Your State Pay Your Part B Premium?
Yes, your state can pay your Medicare premiums through a Medicare Savings Program if you qualify. The 2026 Part B premium is $202.90 a month, or $2,434.80 over 12 months.
There are four Medicare Savings Programs: QMB, SLMB, QI and QDWI. All four go through your state, which decides which program fits you after you apply. The 2026 federal monthly income limits for one person are $1,350 for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, $1,616 for the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) program, and $1,816 for the Qualifying Individual (QI) program.
How the Four Medicare Savings Programs Pay Your Premiums
Medicare.gov's Medicare Savings Programs page lists these 2026 federal limits for all four programs.
| Program | What it pays | 2026 monthly income limit (individual / couple) | Resource limit (individual / couple) |
|---|---|---|---|
| QMB | Part A premium (if you lack premium-free Part A), plus Part B premium, deductibles, coinsurance and copayments | $1,350 / $1,824 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
| SLMB | Part B premium only | $1,616 / $2,184 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
| QI | Part B premium | $1,816 / $2,455 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
| Qualified Disabled and Working Individual (QDWI) | Part A premium only | $5,405 / $7,299 | $4,000 / $6,000 |
Two programs pay a Part A premium: QMB and QDWI. Part A is premium-free for most people, so this help applies only if you buy Part A, which costs $311 or $565 a month in 2026 depending on how long you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes. QDWI is for people who have a disability, are working, and lost their Social Security disability benefits and premium-free Part A because they returned to work.
SLMB and QI both require you to have Part A and Part B, and both help pay the Part B premium. QI allows $200 more in monthly income for one person ($1,816 against $1,616). QI also requires a new application every year, and states approve applications first-come, first-served, with priority to people who got QI the previous year.
What a Medicare Savings Program Is Worth in 2026
A Medicare Savings Program that pays your Part B premium covers $202.90 a month in 2026, or $2,434.80 over 12 months ($202.90 x 12). The Part B premium can be higher depending on income, and Medicare.gov lists the 2026 figures on its Medicare costs page.
QMB pays more than the premium. It also covers Part B deductibles, coinsurance and copayments. The Part B deductible is $283 a year, so the premium plus the deductible comes to $2,717.80 in 2026 ($2,434.80 + $283).
Part B coinsurance is usually 20% of the cost of each covered service after the deductible. Under QMB, Medicare providers cannot bill you for that coinsurance on services and items Medicare covers.
For someone who has to buy Part A, QMB adds the Part A premium. That premium is $311 or $565 a month, depending on how long you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes. The Part A deductible is $1,736 per inpatient hospital benefit period, and the QMB billing rule covers deductibles on Medicare-covered services too.
QMB, SLMB and QI members also get Extra Help with prescription drugs. Extra Help means you pay no more than $12.65 in 2026 for each drug covered by your Medicare drug plan, and Medicare.gov's prescription drug cost help page for details.
Who Does Not Fit and Where the Limits Bend
You may qualify for a Medicare Savings Program in your state even if your income or resources are above the federal limits, because some states do not count certain types or amounts of income or resources. Income limits are also slightly higher in Alaska and Hawaii.
QDWI has its own limits. Its income limit is higher, at $5,405 a month for an individual and $7,299 for a couple. Its resource limit is lower, at $4,000 and $6,000, and it only serves working people with a disability who lost premium-free Part A after returning to work.
The limits go up each year, so look up the new figures each year on the Medicare Savings Programs page.
How to Apply for a Medicare Savings Program Through Your State
You apply for a Medicare Savings Program through your state, and the state decides which program or programs you qualify for. Follow these steps:
- Reach your state. Start from Medicare.gov's talk to someone page to find who to contact.
- Apply even if you think your income or savings are too high. Medicare.gov says to apply anyway, since some states do not count certain types or amounts of income or resources.
- Let the state choose the program. Your state determines whether QMB, SLMB, QI or QDWI fits when you apply.
- If you are placed in QI, mark a date to apply again next year, because QI requires a new application every year.
If you are married, use the couple limits when you compare your numbers: $1,824 a month for QMB, $2,184 for SLMB, $2,455 for QI and $7,299 for QDWI. Each program has both an income limit and a resource limit.
If you are handling this for a parent, add the application to our elder care planning checklist so a yearly QI reapplication is not missed.
What QMB Changes at the Doctor's Office
If you qualify for QMB, Medicare providers are not allowed to bill you for services and items Medicare covers, including deductibles, coinsurance and copayments. You may still get a bill for a small Medicaid copayment if one applies.
Show your Medicare card and your Medicaid card, or your QMB card, each time you get care.
How Medicare Savings Programs Relate to Full Medicaid
Medicare Savings Programs and full Medicaid are both run by states, but they are separate programs. Our Medicare vs Medicaid comparison explains how the two programs differ. Because states run the Medicare Savings Programs, your application goes to your state.
QI is only available to people who do not qualify for any other Medicaid coverage or benefits. A person turned away from QI for that reason may still qualify for help from another Medicare Savings Program, according to Medicare.gov.
For the other ways to get Medicare coverage, see Medicare vs Medicare Advantage and Medicare Advantage vs Medigap. Your next step is to contact your state about a Medicare Savings Program through Medicare.gov's talk to someone page, even if your income is above the figures in the table.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay for Medicare if I'm on Medicaid?
Maybe not, if you qualify for a Medicare Savings Program. Your state then pays your Part B premium, and QMB also pays the Part A premium (if you lack premium-free Part A) plus Part B deductibles, coinsurance and copayments. Your state decides which program applies after you apply.
How do I qualify to get my Medicare premium paid?
You qualify by applying through your state for a Medicare Savings Program and meeting its income and resource limits. In 2026 the federal monthly income limits for one person are $1,350 for QMB, $1,616 for SLMB and $1,816 for QI, with a $9,950 resource limit. Some states do not count certain income or resources, so apply even if you think you are over.
Who pays first if you have Medicare and Medicaid?
With QMB, Medicare providers cannot bill you for services and items Medicare covers, apart from a small Medicaid copayment if one applies. For how a specific bill is handled, confirm with your state and your plan through Medicare.gov's talk to someone page.
What is the income limit for the Medicare Savings Program in 2026?
The 2026 federal monthly income limits are $1,350 for an individual and $1,824 for a couple in QMB, $1,616 and $2,184 in SLMB, $1,816 and $2,455 in QI, and $5,405 and $7,299 in QDWI. Limits are slightly higher in Alaska and Hawaii, and some states do not count certain types of income.
Do I have to reapply for a Medicare Savings Program every year?
You must reapply every year for QI, and states approve QI first-come, first-served, with priority to people who had QI the year before. For renewal details on any program, ask your state through the talk to someone page.
Sources
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