Arizona is one of a handful of states that applies no asset test to its Medicare Savings Programs, so a senior can qualify on income alone. The three programs, run by AHCCCS, wipe out or sharply reduce the $202.90 monthly Part B premium and, for the broadest tier, every Medicare deductible and copay.

What Are Medicare Savings Programs, and How Do They Work in Arizona?

Medicare Savings Programs are Medicaid-administered benefits that pay some or all of a low-income Medicare beneficiary's premiums and cost-sharing. QMB, SLMB, and QI are defined by income relative to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL): QMB at or below 100% FPL, SLMB above 100% through 120% FPL, and QI above 120% through 135% FPL.

In Arizona, the programs are administered by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), the state's Medicaid agency, using the QMB, SLMB, and QI-1 labels. AHCCCS determines financial eligibility and ongoing enrollment for all three tiers.

The income figures in this guide are the federal effective limits, which build in a $20 general income disregard that AHCCCS applies before the income test. AHCCCS also publishes the underlying gross-FPL numbers, which sit slightly lower ($1,330 single at 100% FPL for QMB). Applicants with wages get an additional earned-income disregard on top of the $20.

Arizona Has No Asset Test for Medicare Savings Programs

Arizona is one of about a dozen states that count no resources at all for QMB, SLMB, and QI. On the AHCCCS eligibility chart, the resource limit for all three programs is listed as "N/A." A senior with substantial savings, a paid-off home, and investments still qualifies as long as monthly income is within the program band.

This matters because the national Medicare Savings Program picture is different. Under federal rules, most states cap countable resources at $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple in 2026. Arizona does not apply that limit.

Do not confuse the Medicare Savings Programs with full Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) Medicaid, which does apply an asset test of $2,000 for a single applicant. The Medicare Savings Programs stand apart: income is the only financial test.

QMB: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary

QMB is the most valuable of the three programs. In 2026 it covers:

  • The Medicare Part A premium, if any (most beneficiaries have premium-free Part A from 40 or more work quarters)
  • The Medicare Part B standard premium, $202.90 per month in 2026
  • The Part A inpatient hospital deductible, $1,736 per benefit period in 2026
  • The Part B annual deductible, $283 in 2026
  • All Medicare coinsurance and copays across every Medicare-covered service

In 2026, Arizona's QMB income limit is at or below $1,350/month for a single person and $1,824/month for a couple, with no resource limit. These Part B and Part A cost figures are the national 2026 Medicare amounts.

For a single Arizona senior on Social Security, QMB eliminates the $2,434.80 annual Part B premium and the $283 Part B deductible, more than $2,700 a year before any hospital or outpatient cost-sharing, and it also erases every Medicare copay and coinsurance charge. Every QMB enrollee is also automatically deemed eligible for full Part D Extra Help.

Household size Monthly income limit Resource limit
Single $1,350 None
Couple $1,824 None

SLMB: Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary

SLMB pays one benefit: the Medicare Part B premium. At the 2026 standard rate of $202.90 per month, that is $2,434.80 per year in direct savings.

In 2026, Arizona's SLMB income band runs above the QMB limit up to $1,616/month for a single person and $2,184/month for a couple, again with no resource limit.

SLMB does not pay deductibles or copays. But for a beneficiary with few medical claims, the Part B premium is the dominant out-of-pocket cost, and SLMB removes it. SLMB enrollment also triggers automatic Part D Extra Help.

Household size Monthly income (upper limit) Resource limit
Single Up to $1,616 None
Couple Up to $2,184 None

QI: Qualifying Individual

QI covers the Part B premium only, the same as SLMB, but at a higher income band. In 2026, Arizona's QI income limit runs above the SLMB band up to $1,816/month for a single person and $2,455/month for a couple, with no resource limit.

Two structural differences set QI apart from QMB and SLMB:

  1. First-come, first-served. QI is funded through a capped federal allotment, so enrollment is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis with a preference for prior-year enrollees. Unlike QMB and SLMB, which are entitlements, QI enrollment is not guaranteed.
  2. Mutually exclusive with full Medicaid. A person eligible for a full-benefit Medicaid category cannot be on QI. They would instead qualify for QMB-Plus or SLMB-Plus, which layer full Medicaid on top of MSP cost-sharing protection.

Like SLMB, QI enrollment triggers automatic Part D Extra Help.

Household size Monthly income (upper limit) Resource limit
Single Up to $1,816 None
Couple Up to $2,455 None

Full Program Comparison

Program Single income limit Couple income limit What it pays Resource limit
QMB Up to $1,350/mo Up to $1,824/mo Part A + Part B premiums + all cost-sharing None
SLMB Up to $1,616/mo Up to $2,184/mo Part B premium only None
QI Up to $1,816/mo Up to $2,455/mo Part B premium only (capped allotment) None

QMB sits at 100% FPL, SLMB spans 100% to 120% FPL, and QI spans 120% to 135% FPL. None of the three applies an asset test in Arizona.

The QMB Billing Protection

Federal law (42 U.S.C. 1396a(n)(3)(B)) prohibits any Medicare provider from billing a QMB enrollee for Medicare cost-sharing. This protection applies to Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage providers alike, whether or not they contract with AHCCCS.

If you are a QMB enrollee and receive a bill for a deductible, coinsurance, or copay:

  • Tell the provider you are enrolled in QMB and cite the federal balance-billing prohibition.
  • Show your AHCCCS eligibility notice or your Medicare card with the QMB indicator.
  • Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to file a complaint.
  • Contact the Arizona State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), run through the Arizona Department of Economic Security, for free help disputing the charge.

A provider who has already billed a QMB enrollee must recall the bill from collections and refund any payment received.

Part D Extra Help Comes Automatically

All three Arizona Medicare Savings Programs automatically confer the full Part D Extra Help, also called the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS). No separate application is required. Under the 2026 benefit structure, full Extra Help enrollees pay no more than $5.10 per generic prescription and $12.65 per brand-name drug, and $0 once out-of-pocket drug costs reach the $2,100 catastrophic threshold.

AHCCCS transmits the deeming information to CMS each month after MSP enrollment. If you are not yet in a Part D plan, CMS auto-assigns you to a zero-premium benchmark plan. For a senior filling several prescriptions a month, Extra Help can add substantial drug-cost savings on top of the Part B premium benefit.

How the Part B Premium Deduction Stops

Once AHCCCS approves a Medicare Savings Program, the state pays your Part B premium (and, for QMB, the Part A premium) under a Section 1843 "state buy-in" agreement. The federal government then bills Arizona and stops deducting the premium from your Social Security check.

Buy-in is processed through a periodic data exchange between AHCCCS and CMS, not instantly at approval, so you may see the premium withheld for a month or two after approval. Any amounts withheld for months the state is now responsible for are credited back to you. Do not pay the Part B premium separately after an MSP approval.

How to Apply for Arizona Medicare Savings Programs

There is no separate paper form for the Medicare Savings Programs in Arizona. You apply for the same benefit online, by phone, or through the Social Security Administration.

1
Step 1

Gather your documents

Have your Medicare card (with the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier), Social Security card or proof of Social Security number, your most recent Social Security award or COLA letter, and any pension or annuity income statements. Because Arizona applies no asset test to these programs, you do not need bank statements for the Medicare Savings Programs.

2
Step 2

Apply online through Health-e-Arizona Plus

Create an account at healthearizonaplus.gov, complete the Medicaid or Medicare Savings Program application, and upload your documents. This is the fastest channel for most applicants.

3
Step 3

Or get free phone help from Arizona SHIP

Call the Arizona State Health Insurance Assistance Program at 1-800-432-4040. Counselors screen your eligibility and walk you through the application at no cost.

4
Step 4

Or start at the Social Security Administration

Filing for Part D Extra Help with the Social Security Administration generates a mandatory referral to AHCCCS, and your Social Security filing date becomes the protected MSP filing date under 42 U.S.C. 1320b-14.

5
Step 5

Wait for the determination, then confirm the premium stops

AHCCCS must decide a non-disability MSP application within 45 days. After approval, watch for the buy-in to stop the Part B deduction and for any refund of premiums withheld during the lag.

After you apply, AHCCCS reviews your income and sends a written decision. Because the state buy-in that stops your Part B deduction runs on a monthly cycle rather than the instant you are approved, apply as early as you can; any premiums withheld while buy-in catches up are credited back to you.

Where to Get Help

AHCCCS Medicare Savings Programs Determines eligibility and processes QMB, SLMB, and QI applications; apply online at Health-e-Arizona Plus. azahcccs.gov
Arizona SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) Free, unbiased Medicare counseling, including help applying for cost-lowering programs and disputing QMB balance-billing. 1-800-432-4040 des.az.gov/medicare-assistance
1-800-MEDICARE Files complaints about improper QMB billing and explains Medicare Savings Program basics. 1-800-633-4227 medicare.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

Who qualifies for QMB in Arizona?

An Arizona Medicare beneficiary with monthly income at or below $1,350 (single) or $1,824 (couple). Arizona applies no resource or asset test, so savings and property do not affect eligibility. QMB pays Part A and Part B premiums plus all Medicare deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.

Does Arizona count my savings or home for a Medicare Savings Program?

No. Arizona lists the resource limit for QMB, SLMB, and QI as "N/A," meaning there is no asset test. Only your income is measured against the program band. This differs from full ALTCS Medicaid, which does apply a $2,000 asset limit.

Do I need to apply separately for Part D Extra Help?

No. Every Arizona QMB, SLMB, and QI enrollee is automatically deemed eligible for full Part D Extra Help. AHCCCS transmits the deeming to CMS monthly, and CMS will auto-assign you to a zero-premium benchmark Part D plan if you are not already in one.

When does my coverage start after I apply?

QMB coverage takes effect after AHCCCS approves your application, so it is not backdated; apply as early as you can. Ask AHCCCS whether earlier months of SLMB or QI coverage are available in your case. File promptly to protect your filing date, even if your documentation is not yet complete.

What if a provider bills me when I have QMB?

Do not pay the bill. Federal law prohibits Medicare providers from billing QMB enrollees for cost-sharing. Contact 1-800-MEDICARE and Arizona SHIP for free help resolving the charge.

How does the $20 income disregard work?

Before AHCCCS runs the income test, $20 per household per month is excluded from unearned income such as Social Security and pensions. That is why the QMB single ceiling works out to about $1,350 rather than the $1,330 gross figure at 100% FPL. Applicants with wages get an additional earned-income disregard on top of the $20.

Learn More

MedicaidMedicare Savings Programs by State: QMB, SLMB, and QI LimitsMedicare Savings Programs help pay your Part B premium, and the limits differ by state. See the 2026 QMB, SLMB, and QI limits and jump to your state's guide. MedicareMedicare Savings Programs: How Each State Sets Its LimitsMedicare Savings Programs help low-income enrollees pay Part B premiums and, with QMB, all cost-sharing. See the four MSPs, 2026 limits, and how to apply. MedicaidArizona Medicaid Income Rules for SeniorsThe 2026 Arizona Medicaid income limits, both tests: AHCCCS MAGI limits by group (138% FPL for adults, no asset test) and the $2,982 ALTCS long-term-care cap. MedicaidHow to Apply for Arizona MedicaidHow to apply for Arizona Medicaid long-term care through ALTCS: Health-e-Arizona Plus, the Income-Only Trust, documents, timelines, and appeals. MedicaidArizona Long-Term Care (ALTCS) and Nursing Home MedicaidHow Arizona Medicaid nursing home coverage works in 2026: ALTCS eligibility, the income cap and Income-Only Trust, patient liability, and estate recovery.
Your next step Check your monthly income against the QMB, SLMB, and QI limits above, then apply at healthearizonaplus.gov or call Arizona SHIP at 1-800-432-4040 for free help.

Find personalized help applying for Arizona Medicare Savings Programs at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

BC

Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.