Colorado Medicare Savings Program
That $202.90 Part B premium hits different when your parent's entire Social Security check is $1,400 a month. Colorado's Medicare Savings Programs can eliminate that deduction entirely — and in some cases, wipe out deductibles and copays too.
What Colorado's Medicare Savings Programs Actually Cover
Colorado runs four tiers of Medicare cost help through the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), administered locally by county human services offices. Each tier covers different costs:
QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) pays Part A premiums, Part B premiums ($202.90/month in 2026), deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. This is the most comprehensive tier — it eliminates virtually all Medicare cost-sharing.
SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary) pays the Part B premium only. No help with deductibles or copays, but that's still $2,434.80 back in your parent's pocket each year.
QI-1 (Qualifying Individual) also pays the Part B premium only, funded through a capped federal block grant. Same dollar benefit as SLMB, slightly higher income limit.
QDWI (Qualified Disabled Working Individual) pays the Part A premium for under-65 disabled individuals who are working. This is a narrow program most families won't encounter.
2026 Income and Resource Limits
Colorado applies the federal poverty level thresholds with a standard $20 monthly unearned income disregard. That disregard matters — it means someone with $1,370 gross Social Security income has countable income of $1,350, which still qualifies for QMB.
| Program | Individual Income | Couple Income | Individual Resources | Couple Resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QMB | $1,350/month | $1,824/month | $11,450 | $17,910 |
| SLMB | $1,616/month | $2,184/month | $11,450 | $17,910 |
| QI-1 | $1,816/month | $2,455/month | $11,450 | $17,910 |
These are net countable income figures after the $20 disregard. Colorado's resource limits are higher than the federal baseline ($9,950/$14,910) because the state includes a $1,500 per-person burial expense allowance in the effective ceiling.
Your parent's home, one vehicle, burial plots, household goods, and up to $1,500 set aside for burial expenses are all excluded from the resource count.
Who Qualifies
Beyond the income and resource numbers, your parent needs:
- Medicare Part A or Part B enrollment (or eligibility for conditional Part A)
- Colorado residency with intent to remain
- U.S. citizenship or qualified immigration status
Age doesn't matter for the financial thresholds — someone under 65 on SSDI who's completed the 24-month Medicare waiting period qualifies under identical rules.
One detail that surprises families: if your parent lives with you, your income doesn't count. Income deeming in Colorado's Non-MAGI Medicaid system occurs only between legally married spouses or from parent to minor child. An adult child's income and assets are never counted toward a parent's MSP eligibility.
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How to Apply
Two main routes:
Online through Colorado PEAK at peak.my.state.co.us. Select "Apply for Benefits" → "Medical Assistance." PEAK doesn't have a separate MSP application — the medical intake route automatically evaluates for QMB, SLMB, and QI-1. You can upload verification documents through the PEAK mobile app or web uploader.
Paper application through the county Department of Human Services where your parent lives. The form is the Application for Public Assistance (Form PA-1) or the simplified Medical Assistance Application, available on the HCPF website.
County offices process applications within 45 calendar days. If documents are missing, the county sends a Request for Information with at least 10 days to respond before any denial.
The Extra Help Connection
When Colorado approves your parent for QMB, SLMB, or QI-1, that approval automatically establishes deemed eligibility for Medicare Part D Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy). No separate Extra Help application is needed — HCPF sends enrollment data to CMS, which grants full LIS status.
Extra Help slashes Part D prescription costs: lower or eliminated premiums, reduced copays, no coverage gap. For a parent juggling multiple maintenance medications, this automatic trigger can save thousands more per year beyond the Part B premium relief.
What to Do Next
The application itself takes 20-30 minutes through PEAK. The hard part is gathering the right documents and understanding whether your parent's income actually qualifies after disregards are applied.
Our Colorado Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide walks through the eligibility calculation step-by-step with worksheets, the complete document checklist, PEAK navigation instructions, and what to do when something goes wrong after approval — from balance billing disputes to renewal deadlines.
Get Your Free Colorado — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Download the Colorado — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.