Medicare Savings Programs

The State of Idaho has programs that may help you. Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Coverage can pay for:

• Medicare premiums (Part A Hospital Insurance and Part B Medical Insurance);
• Medicare co-insurance; and
• Medicare deductibles.

To qualify, you must be:

• Entitled to enroll in Part A Medicare coverage;
• An Idaho resident; and
• A U.S. citizen or a legal non-citizen.

In addition, your 2008 monthly income must be near or below $866.67 for an individual or $1,166.67 for a couple.

What if you have too much income to qualify?

Then you may be eligible for Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) benefits. Medicaid pays the Medicare Part B medical insurance premium.

To qualify, you must be:

• Entitled to enroll in Part A Medicare hospital insurance coverage (Medicaid will not pay the Part A premium);
• An Idaho resident; and
• A U.S. citizen or a legal non-citizen.

For SLMB (Medicaid pays the Medicare Part B medical insurance premium), your 2008 monthly income must be near or below $1,040 for an individual, and near or below $1,400 for a couple.

For  QI (Medicaid pays the Medicare Part B medical insurance premium), your 2008 monthly income must be near or below $1,170 for an individual, and near or below $1,575 for a couple.

If you have more income than this, you still may be eligible because some income does not count. Your assets must not be worth more than $4,000 for an individual and $6,000 for a couple. Assets include items such as cash, stocks, CDs, etc., but not your house. One car is exempt if the equity in the car is $5,000 or less, and you can have some money set aside for burial expenses.

Where can you apply for Medicare Savings Programs?

Contact the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare office nearest you.