Medicare Savings Programs

Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) help pay premiums, deductibles, and co-insurance for Medicare recipients with limited income and resources. These individuals are called Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMB).

Medicaid will pay:

• Monthly premiums for Medicare coverage
• Medicare deductibles (the yearly deductible for Part B Medicare services such as office visits, lab, and x-ray services, and Part A deductible if you are hospitalized)
• Medicare co-insurance (the 20% per-service charge that you have to pay for most medical services)

Medicaid will only pay for medical services that are benefits of Medicare. Prescriptions are not a benefit of the QMB program. The QMB recipient but show the medical provider their Medicare card and their Medicaid card. Medicaid and Medicare combined will automatically pay for monthly premiums, co-insurance, and deductibles.

Note: When you are approved for QMB, it will take about 90 days for Colorado's payments to be made to Medicare on your behalf. You will be reimbursed for any Medicare premiums you paid during that period.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Be currently eligible for Medicare hospital insurance (PART A).
• Meet income limits. (Income is anything, which can be used to purchase food, clothing, or shelter. Some examples include wages, Social Security, pensions, child support, and unemployment benefits.)
• Meet resource limits. (Resources are whatever money remains unspent from a prior month. Some examples include cash, checking and savings accounts, stocks, bonds, some insurance policies, and secondary property.)
• The home, a car, personal belongings, household goods, some burial policies, and some life insurance policies are not counted as part of your resources, but these items must be reported on the application.
• Be a U.S. Citizen or permanent legal alien.
• Be a resident of Colorado.

State Medicaid now pays the Medicare Part B premium for Medicare recipients with limited income and resources. These individuals are called Special Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries (SLIMB) MEDICAID WILL PAY Monthly PREMIUMS for Medicare Part B coverage. This can help you by having Medicare pay for most of the cost of your doctor, medical supply, lab, x-ray, and ambulance services.

• Payment of Medicare Part B Premiums is the only benefit available under Medicaid for QI-1/SLIM-B.
• Medicaid coverage will begin the month your application is received. Coverage can be made retroactive three months prior to the application upon request and if eligible.

NOTE: QI-1 and SLIM-B recipients are not eligible for help with Medicare co-payments.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Be currently eligible for Medicare "hospital insurance" (PART A)
• Meet income limits. (Income is anything, which can be used to purchase food, clothing, or shelter. Some examples include wages, Social Security, pensions, child support, and unemployment benefits.)
• Meet resource limits. (Resources are whatever money remains unspent from a prior month. Some examples include cash, checking and savings accounts, stocks, bonds, some insurance policies, and secondary property.)
• The home, a car, personal belongings, household goods, some burial policies, and some life insurance policies are not counted as part of your resources, but these items must be reported on the application.
• Be a U.S. Citizen or permanent legal alien.
• Be a resident of Colorado.
• Not be eligible for Medicaid coverage under another program like TANF, SSI, OAP, LTC, etc.