Help Paying Medicare Part B Premium in Arkansas

The Part B Premium Problem

Medicare Part B costs at least $202.90 per month in 2026 — and Social Security deducts it automatically before the check even arrives. For a parent living on $1,400 a month in Social Security, that's nearly 15% of their income disappearing before they buy groceries.

Arkansas has three programs that can eliminate that deduction: QMB, SLMB, and QI. All three pay the Part B premium directly. QMB also covers deductibles and coinsurance, but even SLMB and QI return $2,434.80 per year to your parent's monthly check.

Who Qualifies for Part B Premium Help

Eligibility depends on countable monthly income (after a $20 unearned income disregard) and assets:

• QMB: up to $1,350/month individual, $1,824 couple
• SLMB: $1,350.01–$1,616 individual, $1,824.01–$2,184 couple
• QI: $1,616.01–$1,816 individual, $2,184.01–$2,455 couple

Asset limits are $9,950 individual, $14,910 couple — and most of what your parent owns (home, car, burial plots, personal belongings) doesn't count toward that number.

A single parent receiving $1,630 in monthly Social Security might think they earn too much. After the $20 disregard, their countable income is $1,610 — under the SLMB limit. They qualify.

How the Premium Actually Stops

Once DHS approves your parent for any of these programs, here's the sequence:

1. DHS sends an enrollment record to CMS
2. CMS tells SSA to stop withholding the Part B premium
3. SSA updates its systems (this takes 60–90 days)
4. SSA issues a lump-sum reimbursement for all premiums withheld between the effective date and the date the deduction stopped

For SLMB and QI, the effective date can be retroactive up to three months before the application, so the total reimbursement can be substantial. For QMB, coverage starts the first of the month after approval — no retroactive payments.

Applying for Premium Help

Apply through the Access Arkansas portal at access.arkansas.gov, at any county DHS office, or by phone at 1-855-372-1084. You don't need to specify which program you want — DHS determines the tier based on your parent's income.

Have the Social Security award letter, bank statements (30–60 days), and any pension statements ready. DHS verifies most data electronically, but they'll request paper documentation if automated checks come back incomplete.

If your parent was already turned down in a previous year, they should apply again. Income limits adjust every January with the federal poverty level, and the Social Security Fairness Act's repeal of WEP and GPO may have changed their Social Security amount.

For the full premium-help process — eligibility worksheets, a document checklist, and how to track the premium refund — the Arkansas Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide has everything in one place.

See more Arkansas guides →