Help Paying the Medicare Part B Premium in Vermont
The standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 per month in 2026. That's $2,434.80 a year deducted straight from your parent's Social Security check before they see a dime. For a senior on a fixed income of $1,500 a month, that's nearly 14% of gross income going to one premium.
Vermont's Medicare Savings Programs can eliminate that deduction entirely.
Two Programs That Pay the Part B Premium
QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) pays the full Part B premium plus all Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, and copays. Income limit: $1,995/month for an individual, $2,707 for a couple. No asset test.
QI (Qualifying Individual) pays the Part B premium only. Income limit: $1,995.01 to $2,685/month for an individual, $2,707.01 to $3,645 for a couple. No asset test.
Since January 2026 under Act 113, QMB covers incomes up to 150% of the Federal Poverty Level — absorbing the old SLMB program entirely. The gap between QMB and QI is seamless: if your parent's income falls below $2,685/month (single), one of these programs covers the premium.
Income Is Gross, But Disregards Help
Vermont counts gross monthly income — Social Security before Part B deduction, gross pension payments, any earnings. But standard non-MAGI disregards apply: a $20 general income disregard per household, plus a $65 earned income disregard and a 50% deduction on remaining earnings for those still working.
A senior with a $2,000 gross Social Security check might calculate themselves out of QMB. But after the $20 general disregard, countable income drops to $1,980 — below the $1,995 QMB limit.
The Premium Refund After Approval
Here's what catches families off guard: after DVHA approves QMB or QI, Social Security doesn't stop deducting the Part B premium immediately. The state sends an electronic accretion record to CMS, which forwards it to SSA. That processing takes 30 to 90 days.
During this window, your parent's check continues to show the $202.90 deduction. Once SSA processes the buy-in, the deductions stop and SSA issues a retroactive refund of every premium withheld since the coverage start date. The refund shows up as a direct deposit or a paper check with the regular Social Security payment.
This is normal but alarming for families who expected the deduction to vanish immediately. Track the months — if refunds haven't appeared after three months, call SSA.
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Beyond the Premium: What QMB Adds
QI stops at the premium. QMB goes further. The Part B annual deductible ($283 in 2026), the 20% coinsurance on doctor visits and outpatient services, hospital deductibles ($1,736 per benefit period), skilled nursing facility coinsurance ($217/day for days 21–100) — QMB covers all of it.
For a senior who faces a hospitalization, that's thousands of dollars in cost-sharing that never hits their bank account.
How to Apply
File Form 201P through the Vermont Document Uploader at my.vermont.gov, mail it to Green Mountain Care at 280 State Drive, Waterbury, VT 05671-1500, or call 1-800-250-8427 to apply by phone.
The Vermont Medicare Savings Programs, Extra Help & VPharm Guide covers the full income calculation, the Dependent Relative Rule that can raise the income threshold for multi-person households, and a month-by-month timeline for tracking the premium refund.
Get Your Free Vermont — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Download the Vermont — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.