Michigan Medicare Savings Programs 2026: QMB, SLMB & QI

Michigan's Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) pay Medicare premiums and, for the top tier, all Medicare deductibles and copays for people with limited income and resources. Michigan runs three MSPs through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and applying through MI Bridges is the fastest way to enroll. In 2026, a single person with monthly income up to about $1,816 may qualify for at least partial help.1

What Are Medicare Savings Programs?

Medicare Savings Programs are a Medicaid-administered benefit for people who have Medicare but cannot afford the premiums and cost-sharing. They are separate from full Medicaid coverage: you can qualify for an MSP without qualifying for Michigan's full Medicaid package.1

Michigan runs all three MSPs through MDHHS. Income limits are set by the federal government as a share of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), and the underlying figures move each year with the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Federal Benefit Rate, which is $994/month for an individual in 2026. Michigan applies standard income disregards before it compares your income to the limit, so the effective cutoff is a little higher than the raw number suggests.3

QMB: The Most Protective Tier

QMB provides the broadest coverage of the three programs. It pays:

• The Medicare Part A premium (for the small share of people who do not get premium-free Part A)
• The Medicare Part B premium, which is $202.90/month in 2026 for most enrollees2
• All Part A and Part B deductibles, coinsurance, and copays, including the $283 annual Part B deductible in 20262

2026 QMB income limits (approximate): up to about $1,350/month for an individual and $1,824/month for a married couple, measured at 100% of the Federal Poverty Level after Michigan applies its income disregards.1

SLMB: Part B Premium Help

SLMB pays only the Medicare Part B premium. In 2026 that is $202.90/month for most enrollees, or $2,434.80 for the year. SLMB does not cover deductibles or copays.2

2026 SLMB income limits (approximate): up to about $1,616/month for an individual and $2,184/month for a couple. Income is measured between 100% and 120% of the Federal Poverty Level.1

QI: The Upper Tier

QI also pays only the Part B premium. It covers a slightly higher income band than SLMB, up to about $1,816/month for an individual and $2,455/month for a couple, measured between 120% and 135% of the Federal Poverty Level. Two distinctions matter for QI:1

1. Annual funding cap. QI is paid from a fixed federal allotment each year. States enroll applicants first-come, first-served until that funding runs out, and prior-year QI enrollees get first priority for re-enrollment. Apply early in the calendar year.
2. Cannot combine with full Medicaid. If you qualify for Michigan full Medicaid, you cannot also receive QI. QI is built for people who fall between full Medicaid and no assistance. (QMB and SLMB, by contrast, can be held alongside full Medicaid.)

Asset Limits (2026)

All three programs use the same federal resource (asset) test: $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a married couple in 2026.1

Exempt assets include the primary home (regardless of value), one vehicle, household goods and personal effects, and burial funds within limits. Michigan sets its own $9,950 asset limit for SSI-related long-term-care Medicaid, effective January 1, 2026, so the MSP resource limit for a single applicant happens to line up with the state's long-term-care figure.4

Income Counting: Disregards Matter

Not all of your income counts toward the MSP income test. Michigan applies the standard federal income disregards, including a general monthly income disregard that applies to everyone and an added earned-income disregard for applicants who have wages.1

Social Security benefits, pensions, and most investment income count after those disregards are applied. If your gross income looks a little above the limit, apply anyway. The disregards often pull the countable figure below the threshold, and the SLMB and QI tiers reach higher income than QMB, so a household that is over the QMB line frequently still qualifies for one of the upper tiers.

If a Provider Bills You and You Have QMB

Federal law bars every Medicare provider and supplier, pharmacies included, from billing a QMB enrollee for Medicare Part A or Part B deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments. The protection holds even when Michigan Medicaid pays the provider nothing toward that cost-sharing, and it holds whether or not the provider takes Medicaid. Providers must accept the Medicare payment as payment in full and bill the state instead. A provider who bills you anyway violates the Medicare Provider Agreement and can face sanctions.5

If a bill for Medicare cost-sharing shows up anyway:

1. Don't pay it. Tell the provider you're in the QMB group and that federal law bars the charge.
2. Show your MDHHS approval notice. The letter approving your QMB coverage is proof you're in the group.
3. Call MMAP at 1-800-803-7174. Michigan's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) gives free, unbiased Medicare counseling and can help you get the bill corrected.6
4. If it isn't resolved, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and ask the representative to submit your complaint to the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services office that handles beneficiary complaints Medicare and your plan didn't fix.7

Extra Help: The Automatic Benefit

Enrolling in any Michigan MSP (QMB, SLMB, or QI) automatically qualifies you for Extra Help, also called the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS). Extra Help lowers Part D prescription-drug premiums, deductibles, and copays, and for many enrollees it saves a substantial amount each year on medications.1

MDHHS transmits your MSP enrollment to the Social Security Administration, so no separate Extra Help application is needed once your MSP is approved.

How to Apply for a Michigan Medicare Savings Program

Michigan MSP applications go through MDHHS on the MDHHS-1171 Assistance Application (a MI Bridges online application counts as the same form). Standard processing takes up to 45 days for a non-disability case. Here is the path from start to coverage.8

Learn More

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.