Help Paying Medicare Part B Premium in Nebraska
The 2026 Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 per month — $2,434.80 per year — deducted directly from Social Security checks. For a Nebraska senior living on $1,300 a month, that's nearly 16% of total income gone before rent, food, or prescriptions. Nebraska's Medicare Savings Programs can eliminate that deduction entirely, and most eligible people have no idea they qualify.
Three Programs That Pay Your Part B Premium
All three tiers of Nebraska's Medicare Savings Programs cover the full Part B premium:
QMB pays the Part B premium plus Part A premiums, deductibles, and all Medicare coinsurance and copayments. Single income limit: $1,350/month. Couple: $1,824/month.
SLMB pays the Part B premium only. Single: $1,351–$1,616/month. Couple: $1,825–$2,184/month.
QI pays the Part B premium only. Single: $1,617–$1,816/month. Couple: $2,185–$2,455/month.
Resource limits for all three: $9,950 individual / $14,910 couple. Your home, one car, household goods, and burial plots don't count.
What Happens to Your Social Security Check
Once DHHS approves your MSP application, the state transmits an electronic buy-in transaction to the Social Security Administration. SSA removes the Part B premium deduction from your monthly check. This process typically takes 30 to 90 days after approval.
During that lag, SSA continues deducting $202.90. When the buy-in completes, SSA issues a lump-sum refund for all premiums deducted after your MSP effective date. For SLMB, which can be retroactive three months before the application month, that refund can be substantial.
Monitor your Social Security benefit statement closely after approval to confirm the deduction stops and the refund arrives.
The Prescription Bonus
Every MSP tier — QMB, SLMB, and QI — automatically triggers Extra Help (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy). No separate application needed. For people with MSP-only status, 2026 copays are up to $5.10 for generics and $12.65 for brand-name drugs, and Extra Help eliminates the Part D premium for benchmark plans.
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Nebraska SHIIP: Free Help
Nebraska's Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) at 1-800-234-7119 provides free counseling on Medicare costs. SHIIP counselors can walk through eligibility calculations and help identify which MSP tier fits your income. They cannot file the application for you or serve as an authorized representative, but they can explain the process.
How to Apply
Apply through iServe Nebraska (iserve.nebraska.gov), mail Form MLTC-64, or call DHHS at (855) 632-7633. Have your SSA benefit verification letter, one month of bank statements, and Medicare card ready before starting.
For the full income calculation, document checklist, and a tracking log that follows your application from submission through the SSA premium refund, see the Nebraska Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide.
Get Your Free Nebraska — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Download the Nebraska — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.