If you have Medicare in Michigan and a limited income, a Medicare Savings Program may help pay your Part B premium, and for some people, Medicare deductibles and coinsurance too. In Michigan these programs are run by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The rules are the same in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Flint, Saginaw, Traverse City, Marquette, or anywhere else in the state.
This article is educational. Instant Health Help is a licensed health insurance agency, and our agent, Lobsang Rivas, is licensed in Michigan. We are not Medicare, CMS, Social Security, MDHHS, or an insurance company, and we do not decide who qualifies. We do not quote prices or name plans here. See the official overview on the MDHHS Medicare Savings Programs page.
The short answer
- Michigan has four main categories, and your income decides which one you fit. MDHHS says the programs may pay Medicare premiums, coinsurance, and deductibles, depending on income.
- You generally need Medicare Part A, and there is also an asset limit. MDHHS decides who qualifies, and the limits change every year.
- You apply through MDHHS, online with MI Bridges or through your local MDHHS office.
The four Michigan categories
Michigan’s Bridges Eligibility Manual (BEM 165) describes the categories this way:
- QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary): for income up to 100% of the federal poverty level. QMB pays Medicare premiums, coinsurance, and deductibles. It pays the Part B premium, plus the Part A premium for the few people who have one.
- SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary): for income over 100% and up to 120% of the poverty level. SLMB pays the Part B premium.
- ALMB (Additional Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary): for income over 120% and up to 135% of the poverty level. ALMB pays the Part B premium as long as funding is available. Nationally this group is called QI, and Medicare.gov says you must apply every year and priority goes to people who had it the year before.
- NMB: for people who already have full-coverage Medicaid but whose income or assets are too high for the other categories. NMB pays the Part B premium.
BEM 165 also says you can’t choose a lower category in place of QMB to get coverage sooner. MDHHS places you in the category you qualify for. There is a separate program for certain working people with disabilities who pay a Part A premium, called QDWI.
Assets and income
MDHHS says there is an asset limit, and that your income determines what is covered. We don’t list dollar figures here because they change each year. Medicare.gov also says you may qualify in your state even if your income or resources are higher than the federal limits, because states count things differently. When in doubt, apply, and let MDHHS decide.
What QMB means at the doctor’s office
Medicare.gov says that if you qualify for QMB, Medicare providers aren’t allowed to bill you for services and items Medicare covers, including deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. You may still get a bill for a small Medicaid copayment, if one applies. Show your Medicare card and your Medicaid or QMB card each time you get care. See Medicare.gov’s Medicare Savings Programs page.
The link to Extra Help with drug costs
Medicare.gov says that if you qualify for QMB, SLMB, or QI, you also get Extra Help paying for your prescription drugs. You can also apply for Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs at the same time. When you apply for Extra Help through Social Security, Social Security sends your information to the state to start a Medicare Savings Program application, unless you tell them not to. See Medicare.gov’s Extra Help page.
With Medicaid or Extra Help, you can also change your drug coverage once per calendar month. That is in addition to annual enrollment, October 15 to December 7. Our Michigan Medicare annual enrollment guide covers what to review this fall.
How to apply in Michigan
- Online through MI Bridges, where you can apply, check your status, and manage your case.
- In person or on paper: through your local MDHHS office, which can also help if you can’t apply online.
- Questions about applying: MDHHS lists the Michigan Health Care Helpline at 1-855-789-5610.
Have your Medicare card, proof of income (such as your Social Security benefit letter or pension statements), and recent bank statements ready. If MDHHS sends a letter asking for more information, answer by the date on the letter.
Unbiased help in Michigan
Michigan’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) describes itself as an unbiased Medicare resource, and its counselors can help you enroll in Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy, also called Extra Help. Call 1-800-803-7174. That number reaches MI Options, the state’s call center, which connects you with a local certified SHIP counselor. You can also see the Michigan SHIP page.
If you live across the line in Ohio, Indiana, or Wisconsin, apply in your own state. Our agent is not licensed in those states, so use Medicare.gov or that state’s SHIP counselors through SHIP’s national locator.
Watch for scams
Medicare.gov says Medicare will never call you to sell you anything or visit you at your home. Don’t give your Medicare number to someone who calls you out of the blue. If someone pressures you, hang up. See Medicare.gov’s fraud page.
Someone in your house under 65?
If a spouse or adult child needs coverage, read our Healthy Michigan Plan vs Marketplace guide and our Michigan open enrollment guide.
How we help
We are licensed in Michigan and help people with Medicare by phone and online, in English or Spanish. Learn more on our Michigan health insurance help page. We can explain how a Medicare Savings Program fits with your Medicare coverage, point you to MI Bridges or your local MDHHS office to apply, and once you know the outcome, compare Medicare Advantage plans, Medigap policies, and drug plans with you and help you enroll if you decide to. We are not Medicare, MDHHS, or the government, and the decision is always yours.
Want to talk it through?
Have your Medicare card, your most recent Social Security or pension letter, and your list of doctors and prescriptions ready, and we can go over your options together.
Call (321) 315-0054 | agent@inshh.com
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 10 organizations which offer 489 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays. Instant Health Help is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
Featured photo: Tahquamenon Falls in autumn, Michigan by Wfgc, public domain, cropped with text added.