Nevada Medicare Savings Programs 2026: QMB, SLMB & QI

Nevada Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) pay some or all of your Medicare costs if your income and assets are limited. The Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program covers both the Part A and Part B premiums plus every Medicare deductible, coinsurance, and copay; SLMB and QI cover the Part B premium only. In 2026, QMB starts at a monthly income at or below about $1,350 for a single person, with countable assets at or below $9,950.1

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, so every state Medicaid plan must cover them, and enrolling in any of the three automatically qualifies you for Part D Extra Help.1

Nevada administers all three programs through the Nevada Division of Health Care Financing and Policy (DHCFP), its Medicaid agency, with financial eligibility handled by the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS). DHCFP sets policy; DWSS staff process applications and determine income and assets.2

Because MSPs use the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) related income methodology rather than MAGI rules, a $20 monthly general income disregard applies before your income is measured against the limit. Nevada's published charts list the gross Federal Poverty Level (FPL) figures; after the $20 disregard, the effective limits are the standard federal amounts shown throughout this guide.1

QMB: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary

QMB is Nevada's broadest 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, which is $202.90/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 on every Medicare-covered service3

2026 Nevada QMB income limit: at or below about $1,350/month for a single person (100% FPL after the $20 general income disregard), or about $1,824/month for a couple. Asset limit: $9,950 for one person, $14,910 for a couple; the primary residence and one vehicle are excluded.1,2

For a Nevada senior on Social Security, QMB erases the $202.90 monthly Part B premium ($2,434.80 a year), the $283 Part B deductible, and the $1,736 Part A hospital deductible, plus every Medicare coinsurance charge.3 Every QMB enrollee is also automatically deemed eligible for full Part D Extra Help.1

SLMB: Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary

Nevada SLMB covers the Medicare Part B premium only. That single benefit is worth $2,434.80 per year at the 2026 standard premium of $202.90/month.3

2026 Nevada SLMB income limits: about $1,351 to $1,616/month for a single person (100% to 120% FPL after the $20 disregard), or about $1,825 to $2,184/month for a couple. The asset limit is the same as QMB: $9,950 single, $14,910 couple.1

SLMB does not pay deductibles or copays, but the Part B premium savings is the dominant cost for beneficiaries with relatively few medical claims. SLMB enrollment also triggers automatic Part D Extra Help, which on a benchmark plan caps covered drugs at $5.10 per generic and $12.65 per brand-name prescription with a $0 deductible.4

QI: Qualifying Individual

QI covers the Part B premium only, at a higher income band: about $1,617 to $1,816/month for a single person (120% to 135% FPL after the $20 disregard), or about $2,185 to $2,455/month for a couple. The asset limit is $9,950 single / $14,910 couple.1

Two structural differences set QI apart from QMB and SLMB:

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

Like SLMB, QI enrollment triggers automatic Part D Extra Help.1

The QMB Billing Protection

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 Nevada Medicaid participation status.1

If you are a Nevada QMB enrollee and receive a bill for a deductible, coinsurance, or copay, do not pay it:

• Inform the provider you are a QMB enrollee and cite the federal balance-billing prohibition.
• Show your DWSS eligibility notice.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to file a complaint, or your Nevada SHIP counselor (see Where to Get Help below).

The provider is required to recall the bill from any collections process and refund amounts already collected.

Part D Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy

Every Nevada QMB, SLMB, and QI enrollee is automatically deemed eligible for full Part D Extra Help, also called the Low-Income Subsidy. No separate application is needed.1

Under the 2026 Part D Extra Help benefit, a full-subsidy enrollee on a benchmark plan pays:

• $0 Part D premium and $0 annual deductible on a benchmark plan
• No more than $5.10 per covered generic prescription
• No more than $12.65 per covered brand-name prescription
• $0 for covered drugs after out-of-pocket costs reach the $2,100 annual cap4

Deeming flows from DHCFP/DWSS to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) each month after MSP enrollment, and CMS auto-assigns anyone not already in a drug plan to a zero-premium benchmark plan.1

Nevada Medicare Savings Programs: 2026 Income Limits at a Glance

Income limits reflect 100% FPL (QMB), 100 to 120% FPL (SLMB), and 120 to 135% FPL (QI) after the $20 general income disregard. The asset limit for all three is $9,950 single / $14,910 couple.1

What Counts as a Resource and What Doesn't

The $9,950/$14,910 asset test excludes several major assets.1

Excluded (not counted):

• Primary residence, regardless of value or equity
• One vehicle, regardless of value
• Household goods and personal effects
• Prepaid burial arrangements and a modest burial fund2

Counted:

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

Many Nevada seniors assume their home disqualifies them. It doesn't count at all. A QMB applicant with a paid-off home in Las Vegas can still qualify as long as liquid financial assets fall within $9,950.1

How the Income Disregard Works

The most common reason eligible Nevada seniors skip MSP: they look at gross income, see it above the threshold, and stop. The SSI-related methodology counts less than the gross figure. The first $20 of monthly income is disregarded before your income is compared to the limit, so a Social Security beneficiary's countable income starts $20 below the gross benefit. Nevada also applies the standard SSI earned-income exclusion, which removes a further portion of any wages, so working seniors often have countable income well below the threshold. Run the actual numbers before concluding you don't qualify.1

How to Apply for Nevada Medicare Savings Programs

There is no separate MSP form in Nevada. You apply for Medicaid and Medicare cost-sharing help through DWSS, and you can also start through Social Security. Follow these steps.

When coverage starts. QMB coverage begins the first day of the month after DWSS approves your application; federal law (42 USC 1396a(e)(8)) bars retroactive QMB coverage. SLMB and QI allow up to three months of retroactive coverage under 42 CFR 435.915 if you were eligible during those months, so file as early as possible.

Where to Get Help in Nevada

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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.