Do You Know You Can Save Thousands with the Medicare Savings Program?

If you haven’t heard of the Medicare Savings Program, today may be your lucky day. You could save thousands of dollars a year on medical costs courtesy of the State of Connecticut and Medicaid.

The Medicare Savings Program covers

out-of-pocket expenses for premiums,
deductibles
co-pays
and subsidizes your prescriptions drug costs if you are an eligible Medicare beneficiary.

Do you meet the criteria?

How to qualify for the Medicare Savings Program

The Medicare Savings Program has three levels. Your income must be at or below the amounts listed below in each category. There is no asset limit for this program in Connecticut. At all three levels, at least your Medicare Part B premium is covered, $148.50/month in 2021 for most individuals.

QMB – Qualified Medicare Beneficiary

Single: $2,265.00/month

Couple: $3,064.00/month

SLMB – Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiary

Single: $2,480.00/month

Couple: $3,354.00/month

ALMB – Additional Low-income Medicare Beneficiary*

Single: $2,641.00

Couple: $3,572.00

*Subject to available funding

Additional benefits with QMB

QMB, the lowest income level of the program, provides additional benefits. Besides covering your monthly Medicare Part B premium, QMB pays for all of your deductibles and co-pays. The State of Connecticut Medicare Savings Program brochure describes QMB as similar to a Medigap or Medicare Supplement policy.

Already on the Medicare Savings Program? Get help with drug costs

If you are a Medicare Savings Program beneficiary and you participate in Medicare Part D, you automatically qualify for a Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) from Medicare to get help paying your prescription drug costs including premiums, deductibles and co-pays. LIS, also called Extra Help, is estimated to be worth $5,000/year according to Social Security. If you qualify for LIS, you pay only $3.70 for generic drugs, and $9.20 for brand-named drugs as of 2021.

There’s only one problem with the Medicare Savings Program: not enough people know about it!

Help us spread the word to anyone you think may qualify. Your friends will thank you. Who wouldn’t want to have their Medicare premiums, deductibles and co-pays covered?

After all, every penny counts when you’re on a fixed income – and $5,000 is a lot of pennies! Here’s a link to the Medicare Savings Program application.