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Government benefit: side-by-side comparison
	Medicare Savings Programs
Country	United States
Type	Health care
Official name	Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI)
Run by	Your state Medicaid agency
Who it is for	People with Medicare who have limited income and resources.
Eligibility	You must have Medicare and limited income and resources. When you apply, your state decides which program you qualify for. The national limits are published each year on medicaid.gov, and some states use more generous rules. If you qualify, you also automatically qualify for Extra Help with prescription drug costs.
What you get	Help paying Medicare costs. Depending on the program, this can cover the Part B premium, and for QMB also Part A and Part B deductibles, coinsurance and copays.
How to apply	Contact your state Medicaid agency. You can also apply through Social Security when you apply for Extra Help, and SSA will pass your details to your state unless you say not to.
Official sources	Seniors and Medicare–Medicaid enrollees (medicaid.gov) Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs (SSA)
Last checked	15 October 2026

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