If you are a Medicare beneficiary with a very low income and few assets, you might qualify for state assistance in paying your health care costs. There are two programs that can help. One is called the "Qualified Medicare Beneficiary" (QMB) program and the other is called the "Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary" (SLMB) program.

The QMB program pays Medicare's premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance for entitled older and disabled people who are qualified for Medicare Part A. If you do not have Part A or do not know if you are entitled, check with your local Social Security office, or call 1-800-772-1213. The TTY/TDD number for the hearing and speech impaired is 1-800-325-0778.

To be entitled to QMB, your income must be at or below the national poverty level and your financial resources (bank accounts, stocks, bonds, etc.) cannot be more than $4,000 for one person, or $6,000 for a couple. Some property, including the home you live in, one car, burial plots, and life insurance are usually not counted as resources.

The QMB monthly income limits for 1997 in the United States, for all States except Alaska and Hawaii, are:

· $678 for an individual
· $905 for a couple.

For Alaska, the QMB limits are $843 for an individual and $1126 for a couple.
For Hawaii, the QMB limits are $776 for an individual and $1037 for a couple.

If your income is too high to qualify for QMB, you may be able to get help under the SLMB program. SLMB pays your Medicare Part B premium, but does not help with Part A. To qualify for SLMB, you must be entitled to Medicare Part A and meet QMB requirements. The difference is that SLMB entitlement is set at 20 percent above the national poverty level.

The SLMB monthly income limits for 1997 in the United States, for all states except Alaska and Hawaii, are:

· $809 for an individual
· $1081 for a couple.

For Alaska, the SLMB limits are $1007 for an individual and $1347 for a couple.
For Hawaii, the SLMB limits are $927 for an individual and $1240 for a couple.

If you already have Medicare Part A and think you qualify for either QMB or SLMB assistance, you must file an application for Medicaid at your state's local medical assistance or social services office. Check the Blue Pages of your phone book to find the address and phone number of your local office.

Your state's insurance counseling program can also help, their phone number is in the resource directory.

Last Updated December 22, 1997