Mississippi Medicare Savings Programs 2026: QMB, SLMB & QI

Mississippi Medicare Savings Programs pay your Medicare premiums and cost-sharing, and Mississippi is one of few states with no asset test, so only your monthly income decides if you qualify. The broadest program, QMB, covers the Part B premium and every Medicare deductible, coinsurance, and copay.

What Are Medicare Savings Programs?

Medicare Savings Programs are Medicaid-administered benefits that pay some or all of a low-income Medicare beneficiary's Medicare premiums and cost-sharing. QMB, SLMB, and QI are mandatory eligibility groups under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, meaning every state plan must cover them.

In Mississippi, all three programs are administered by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM). You can apply at a DOM regional office or by phone.

Mississippi uses the Supplemental Security Income (SSI)-related income methodology to decide who qualifies, not the MAGI rules used for standard Medicaid. A $20 per month general income disregard is subtracted from your countable income before your total is compared to the limit, and the income bands below already reflect that disregard.1

QMB: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary

QMB is the most comprehensive of the three programs. It covers:

• The Medicare Part A premium (most beneficiaries have premium-free Part A after 40 or more work quarters)
• The Medicare Part B premium, which is $202.90 per month in 2026
• The Part A inpatient hospital deductible, which is $1,736 per benefit period in 2026
• The Part B annual deductible, which is $283 in 2026
• All Medicare coinsurance and copays on every Medicare-covered service2

2026 Mississippi QMB income limits: at or below $1,350 per month for a single person, or at or below $1,824 per month for a couple. These figures reflect 100% of the Federal Poverty Level with the $20 general income disregard applied. Mississippi applies no resource or asset test, so your savings and other property do not affect QMB eligibility.1

For a single Mississippi senior, QMB erases the full $202.90 monthly Part B premium and the $283 Part B deductible every year, along with the $1,736 Part A hospital deductible and every coinsurance charge Medicare would otherwise leave you to pay.2 Every QMB enrollee is also automatically deemed eligible for full Part D Extra Help.

SLMB: Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary

SLMB covers one benefit: the Medicare Part B premium, which is $202.90 per month in 2026. Over a full year that is the single largest recurring Medicare cost most beneficiaries face.2

2026 Mississippi SLMB income limits: above the QMB limit up to $1,616 per month for a single person, or up to $2,184 per month for a couple. As with QMB, there is no resource test.1

SLMB does not cover deductibles or copays. But for a beneficiary with limited medical claims, eliminating the Part B premium is the dominant cost saving. SLMB also triggers automatic Part D Extra Help, which drops drug copays to $5.10 for generics and $12.65 for brand-name drugs, with a $0 deductible and a $0 premium on a benchmark Part D plan.3

QI: Qualifying Individual

QI covers the Part B premium only, the same as SLMB, at a higher income band: above the SLMB limit up to $1,816 per month for a single person, or up to $2,455 per month for a couple. There is no resource test.1

Two structural differences set QI apart from QMB and SLMB:

1. First-come, first-served. QI is funded through a capped federal allotment. Mississippi enrolls applicants on a first-come, first-served basis, with a preference for prior-year QI enrollees. Unlike QMB and SLMB, there is no enrollment guarantee, so apply early in the year.
2. Mutually exclusive with full Medicaid. Anyone eligible for full Mississippi Medicaid (the Aged, Blind, and Disabled category) cannot simultaneously be on QI. Those individuals qualify instead for QMB-Plus or SLMB-Plus, which layer full Medicaid on top of MSP protections.

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

Mississippi Applies No Asset or Resource Test

This is the single most important thing that sets Mississippi apart from most national guidance. Nearly every national article, and most other states, present QMB, SLMB, and QI with a savings or asset limit that an applicant has to stay under. Mississippi does not use one at all.

The Mississippi Division of Medicaid states plainly for each of the three groups: "It does not matter what your resources are in this group. There is no resource test."1

In practice, that means your bank balances, retirement and investment accounts, a second vehicle, or a second home have no bearing on whether you qualify. Only your monthly income matters. A Mississippi senior who assumed a modest nest egg or a paid-off home would disqualify them should apply anyway, because in Mississippi it will not.

The QMB Billing Prohibition

Federal law (42 USC Section 1396a(n)(3)(B)) prohibits any Medicare provider from billing a QMB enrollee for Medicare cost-sharing. This applies to Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage providers alike, whether or not they participate with Mississippi Medicaid.

If you are a QMB enrollee and receive a bill for a deductible, coinsurance, or copay from any Medicare provider, do not pay it. The provider cannot legally collect it.

If you receive such a bill:

• Tell the provider you are enrolled in QMB and cite the federal balance-billing prohibition.
• Show your Mississippi Medicaid eligibility notice or your Medicare card with the QMB indicator.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to file a complaint.
• Contact the Mississippi State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at 1-800-948-3090 for free help disputing the bill.

Part D Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy

Every QMB, SLMB, and QI enrollee in Mississippi is automatically deemed eligible for full Part D Extra Help, the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS). No separate application is required.

Under the 2026 Part D Extra Help benefit structure, full-subsidy enrollees pay:

• $0 Part D premium on a benchmark plan
• $0 annual deductible
• No more than $5.10 per generic prescription
• No more than $12.65 per brand-name or preferred multi-source drug
• $0 once out-of-pocket drug costs reach the $2,100 catastrophic threshold3

The deeming flows automatically from DOM to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) each month after MSP enrollment. If you are not already in a Part D plan, CMS will auto-assign you to a zero-premium benchmark plan.

Mississippi Medicare Savings Programs: 2026 Income Limits at a Glance

These income limits reflect 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (QMB), 120% (SLMB), and 135% (QI), with the $20 general income disregard applied. None of the three programs has a resource or asset test in Mississippi.1

How the Income Disregards Work

Many Mississippi seniors see their gross Social Security income above the income threshold and assume they do not qualify. The SSI-related methodology often reduces the figure that actually counts.

The $20 general income disregard subtracts $20 per household per month from your countable income before it is compared to the limit. This is already reflected in the published income limits above.1 Mississippi's SSI-related rules also exclude a portion of any wages you earn from work, so a part-time job does not count dollar-for-dollar against you. Because Mississippi applies no resource test, the only question that decides eligibility is where your countable monthly income lands. Run that math before concluding you do not qualify.

How to Apply for Mississippi Medicare Savings Programs

Determination Timeline and Effective Dates

DOM must process non-disability MSP applications within 45 days under 42 CFR Section 435.912.

• QMB: coverage begins the first day of the month after DOM approves the application. Federal law prohibits retroactive QMB coverage, so apply as early as possible.
• SLMB and QI: up to three months of retroactive coverage is available under 42 CFR Section 435.915 if you were eligible during those months. Apply early to protect the retroactive window.

Where to Get Help

Learn More

Find personalized help applying for Mississippi 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.