Seniors › Medicare Savings Program screening guide
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Medicare Savings Program screening guide
Learn about help with Medicare costs and where to apply. This page does not test income limits or calculate your savings.
What help should you ask about?
Medicare Savings Programs can pay some Medicare costs for people who qualify. Your state decides which program fits. The programs have different rules:
- QMB helps with Part A premiums, if owed, and Part B premiums. It also helps with costs for services Medicare covers.
- SLMB and QI help pay Part B premiums. QI requires a new application each year and has limited funds.
- QDWI helps pay Part A premiums for certain people with disabilities who returned to work.
See Medicare's official program rules. Extra Help is a separate program for Part D drug costs. People who get QMB, SLMB, or QI also get Extra Help.
Why not use one income cutoff?
States may count income and savings in different ways. Some allow more than the federal limits shown on Medicare.gov. Being over a posted figure does not always mean you cannot get help. Ask the state to check before you rule yourself out.
Choosing your state here gives you next steps, not a personal test. We do not ask about Medicare enrollment, income sources, savings, or your spouse. Those facts can matter.
What should you have ready?
Ask your state office which records it needs. These may include your Medicare card, proof of income, and details about bank accounts or other resources. Use the official application route, not an unexpected caller who asks for your Medicare number.
You do not have to be over 65 to ask. Some people get Medicare at a younger age due to a disability. The state can check the rules for your case.
What should you do next?
Read our Medicare Savings Programs guide and Extra Help guide. Then contact your state's Medicaid office to apply for a Medicare Savings Program.
What this page can tell you
This is a screening guide, not a decision or payment estimate. Choosing a state shows what to check next. It does not test your full case.
Only your state's Medicaid office can decide if you qualify and what help you can get. They need facts this page does not collect.
There is no application fee for Medicare Savings Programs. Use the official route. No one can promise approval.
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Keep going: see all senior programs, or use the Benefits Estimator for program guidance and limited tax-credit estimates. It does not estimate Medicare cost help. All tools →