Nebraska Medicare Savings Programs 2026: QMB, SLMB & QI

Nebraska Medicare Savings Programs can eliminate most of what you pay for Medicare, with QMB covering the Part B premium and all Medicare cost-sharing for income-eligible beneficiaries.

What Are Medicare Savings Programs?

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 mandatory eligibility groups under Title XIX of the Social Security Act. Every state plan, including Nebraska's, must cover them.

Nebraska administers all three programs through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Applicants apply through iServe Nebraska or by phone, and DHHS processes financial eligibility determinations.

Because MSPs use the SSI-related income methodology rather than MAGI rules, two material income disregards apply: a $20/month general income disregard (applied to unearned income first) and a $65 plus half of remaining earned income disregard for working seniors. The income bands below reflect the $20 disregard.

QMB: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary

QMB is the broadest Nebraska Medicare Savings Program tier. It covers:

• The Medicare Part A premium (most beneficiaries have premium-free Part A after 40 work quarters)
• The Medicare Part B premium (currently $202.90/month per CMS)
• The Part A inpatient hospital deductible ($1,736 in 2026)
• The Part B annual deductible ($283 in 2026)
• All Medicare coinsurance and copays on every Medicare-covered service

2026 Nebraska QMB income limit: at or below approximately $1,350/month for a single person (100% FPL with the $20 general income disregard applied), or approximately $1,820/month for a couple.

Resource limit: $9,950 for one person, $14,910 for a couple. The primary residence and one vehicle are fully excluded from this count.

For a Nebraska senior on Social Security, QMB can be worth more than $3,000 a year in saved premiums, deductibles, and copays. Every QMB enrollee is also automatically deemed eligible for full Part D Extra Help.

SLMB: Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary

Nebraska SLMB covers one benefit: the Medicare Part B premium. That single protection is worth $2,434.80 per year at the 2026 standard premium.

2026 Nebraska SLMB income limits: roughly $1,351 to $1,616/month for a single person (100% to 120% FPL with the $20 disregard applied).

Resource limit: same as QMB, $9,950 single, $14,910 couple.

SLMB does not pay deductibles or copays, but for a beneficiary with modest medical usage, the Part B premium savings is the dominant cost, and SLMB delivers it. SLMB enrollment also triggers automatic Part D Extra Help, which can cut drug costs to $5.10/generic and $12.65/brand-name with a $0 deductible on a benchmark plan.

QI: Qualifying Individual

QI covers the Part B premium only, the same as SLMB, but at a higher income band: roughly $1,617 to $1,816/month for a single person (120% to 135% FPL with the $20 disregard applied).

Two structural differences from QMB and SLMB:

1. First-come, first-served. QI is funded through a capped federal allotment. Nebraska enrolls applicants on a first-come, first-served basis, with preference for prior-year QI enrollees.
2. Mutually exclusive with full Medicaid. If you qualify for any full-benefit Nebraska Medicaid category, you cannot receive QI. You would instead qualify for QMB-Plus or SLMB-Plus, which add full Medicaid coverage on top of MSP cost-sharing.

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

The QMB Billing Prohibition

Federal law (42 USC § 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 regardless of whether they participate with Nebraska Medicaid.

If you are a Nebraska QMB enrollee and receive a bill for a deductible, coinsurance, or copay from any Medicare provider, do not pay it. To dispute an improper bill:

• Tell the provider you are a QMB enrollee and cite federal law.
• Show your DHHS eligibility notice.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to file a complaint.
• Contact the Nebraska SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) at 1-800-234-7119 for free counseling.

A provider who has billed a QMB must recall the bill from collections and refund any collected payments.

Part D Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy

Every Nebraska QMB, SLMB, and QI enrollee is automatically deemed eligible for full Part D Extra Help. No separate application is required.

Under the 2026 Part D benefit structure:

• $0 Part D premium on a benchmark plan
• $0 annual deductible
• $5.10 per generic prescription
• $12.65 per brand-name or preferred multi-source drug
• $0 copays after the $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap

For a senior filling several prescriptions monthly, Part D Extra Help can represent $1,500 to $2,500 in annual drug-cost savings beyond the Part B premium savings from SLMB or QI.

Deeming flows automatically from Nebraska DHHS to CMS each month after MSP enrollment. If you are not already in a Part D plan, CMS auto-assigns you to a zero-premium benchmark plan.

Nebraska Medicare Savings Programs: 2026 Income Limits at a Glance

Income limits reflect 100% FPL (QMB), 100-120% FPL (SLMB), and 120-135% FPL (QI) with the $20 general income disregard applied. Resource limit for all three: $9,950 single / $14,910 couple.

What Counts as a Resource and What Doesn't

The $9,950/$14,910 resource test excludes several common major assets:

Excluded (not counted):

• Primary residence, regardless of value or equity
• One vehicle, regardless of make, model, or value
• Household goods and personal effects
• Prepaid burial arrangements and a burial fund up to $1,500 per person

Counted:

• Checking and savings account balances
• Stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, mutual funds
• A second vehicle or non-primary real estate
• Non-exempt cash-value life insurance above the $1,500 face-value threshold

Many Nebraska seniors rule themselves out of MSP because they assume their home is a resource. It isn't. A QMB applicant who owns a paid-off home can still qualify as long as their liquid financial assets fall within $9,950.

How to Apply for Nebraska Medicare Savings Programs

Nebraska offers two primary application paths:

1. Online via iServe Nebraska Apply at iserve.nebraska.gov. Create an account, complete the application, and upload supporting documents. This is the fastest channel for most applicants.

2. By phone Call Nebraska DHHS at 1-855-632-7633 (Mon-Fri during business hours). Staff can take applications over the phone for applicants who cannot use iServe.

Through SSA. Applying for Part D Extra Help at your local Social Security office using Form SSA-1020 automatically generates a referral to Nebraska Medicaid. Federal law (42 USC § 1320b-14) requires SSA to forward the application to the state, with the SSA filing date serving as your protected filing date.

Documents to Gather Before You Apply

• Medicare card (showing your Medicare Beneficiary Identifier / MBI)
• Social Security card or proof of Social Security number
• Most recent SSA benefit award or COLA notice
• Recent bank and investment account statements
• Pension or annuity statements, if applicable
• Proof of Nebraska residency (utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement)

Determination Timeline

DHHS must process non-disability MSP applications within 45 days under 42 CFR § 435.912. Disability-based applications receive 90 days. If the agency misses the deadline, the applicant may be presumptively eligible pending determination.

Effective Dates and Retroactive Coverage

• QMB: coverage begins the first day of the month after DHHS approves the application. Federal law (42 USC § 1396a(e)(8)) prohibits retroactive QMB coverage. Apply early.
• SLMB and QI: up to three months of retroactive coverage is available under 42 CFR § 435.915 if you were eligible during those months.

After approval, DHHS sends written notice. For QMB, a buy-in notice goes to CMS, which stops withholding the Part B premium from your Social Security check the following month. Prior withheld SLMB/QI premiums for retroactive months are refunded by SSA.

How the Income Disregards Work

The most common reason eligible Nebraska seniors skip MSP: they look at gross income, see it above the threshold, and stop. The SSI-related income methodology runs the numbers differently.

$20 general income disregard: The first $20 of unearned income per household per month is excluded. For a Social Security beneficiary, countable income starts $20 below the gross check amount.

$65 plus half of earned income: For applicants with wages, the first $65 of earned income is excluded and half the remainder is excluded. A part-time worker earning $600/month gross has $600 - $65 = $535; half is $267.50 countable from earned income. Combined with the unearned-income disregard, many people with both Social Security and part-time work qualify even at moderate income levels.

Run the actual numbers before concluding you don't qualify.

Learn More

• Nebraska Medicaid Eligibility and Income Limits
• How to Apply for Nebraska Medicaid
• Nebraska Medicaid for Seniors

Find personalized help applying for Nebraska 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.