Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, and ALMB Programs)

The Medicare Savings Program (MSP) is a program from the State of CT designated to help Medicare beneficiaries with their Medicare expenses. The MSP has three levels:

1. Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program (QMB)
2. Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary program (SLMB)
3. Additional Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (ALMB)  subject to funding

To qualify, an individual must be eligible for Medicare and must meet certain income guidelines which change annually. This program and its levels are run and administered by the State Department of Social Services (DSS).  View 2024 Income guidelines. 

All three levels help Medicare beneficiaries of modest means pay all or some of Medicare's cost sharing amounts (ie. premiums, deductibles and co-payments).

• The State pays the Medicare Part B premium for all 3 levels of the program.
• In addition, MSP recipients, of all three levels, are automatically enrolled in the Extra Help/Low Income Subsidy (LIS) program, which helps pay Medicare Part D prescription costs.
• For those who qualify for the QMB level recipients ONLY receive additional assistance to help with cost sharing (premiums, deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance for Medicare A & B covered services).

Benefits of the Extra Help/LIS:

Extra Help is a federal program that helps pay for some to most of the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare prescription drug coverage. It is also known as the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS). To check if you are eligible, please review the most up-to-date income levels by visiting the Medicare Savings Program.

    Apply Online      

Paper Application

When a Medicare beneficiary applies and is granted the Medicare Savings Program, they are subsequently automatically granted a secondary program known as Full Extra Help or Low Income Subsidy. Beneficiaries on Full Extra Help are able to select a Part D Prescription Drug Plan known as a Benchmark Plan. Each year, different benchmark plans are selected and offered in the state of CT.  The premium amount for this benchmark plan is set each year and is waived for those individuals who are on Full Extra Help. If an individual cannot find a benchmark plan that covers all of their prescription medications, they can enroll in another plan and Full Extra Help will then pay up the Benchmark rate set for that year in specific and the beneficiary would pay the difference.