Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) are Medicaid-administered programs for people on Medicare who have limited income and resources. These programs help those qualified to afford Medicare.
There are four different Medicare Savings Programs, each with different income and resource eligibility limits:
1. Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program
This program helps pay for your Medicare Part A premiums, Part B premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.
2. Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program
This program helps pay for your Medicare Part B premiums.
3. Qualifying Individual (QI) Program
This program helps pay for your Medicare Part B premiums.
4. Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals (QDWI) Program
This program helps pay for your Medicare Part A premiums.
For more information on each of these four Medicare Savings Programs, please see the following website: https://www.ncoa.org/article/medicaid-medicare-savings-programs
What are the advantages of Medicare Savings Programs?
Seniors and younger adults with disabilities who may not qualify for full Medicaid may still be able to enroll in the Medicare Savings Programs.
There are two major advantages of doing so:
Saving Money on Medicare Costs
Three of the four MSPs cover the Medicare Part B premium, which in 2023 is $164.90 a month. Enrollment in MSPs puts over $2,000 back into the wallets of seniors/adults with disabilities each year.
Automatic Extra Help
Enrollment into MSPs automatically “deems” a person eligible to receive the Medicare Part D Extra Help subsidy. This benefit helps pay for prescription drugs and is estimated by the Social Security Administration to have an annual value of more than $5,000.
Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2022
To make an appointment with an enrollment specialist, call the Council on Aging of Buncombe County at (828) 277-8288.
