Help Paying Medicare Part B Premium Wyoming

Three Programs That Pay Your Part B Premium

The standard Medicare Part B premium in 2026 is $202.90 per month, deducted directly from Social Security. For someone living on $1,400 a month, that is about 14.5% of their income gone before they buy groceries. Wyoming offers three programs that can eliminate this cost entirely.

QMB (countable income up to $1,350/month individual) pays the Part B premium plus all Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, and copays. It is the most comprehensive option.

SLMB (countable income up to approximately $1,616/month individual) pays the Part B premium only.

QI (countable income up to approximately $1,816/month individual) also pays the Part B premium only, with slightly higher income limits.

All three are part of Wyoming's Medicare Savings Programs, administered by the Department of Health Customer Service Center. One application covers all three tiers — the state determines which one you qualify for based on income and assets.

How "Countable" Income Saves You

Many families assume their parent earns too much because they look at the gross Social Security amount. Wyoming does not use gross income. It applies a $20 monthly disregard to unearned income before comparing against the thresholds. A parent receiving $1,630 in gross Social Security has countable income of $1,610 — under the SLMB limit.

If your parent also has part-time earnings, the first $65 is excluded and half the remainder is not counted. The math consistently works in the applicant's favor.

What Happens to the Part B Deduction After Approval

This is where families get confused. Wyoming approves the MSP application, but the Part B premium does not stop immediately. Here is the actual timeline:

1. Wyoming Department of Health approves the application in the WES system (45–90 days after filing)
2. Wyoming transmits an electronic buy-in transaction to CMS and SSA
3. SSA processes the buy-in tape and updates the beneficiary's record (60–90 days after approval)
4. SSA stops deducting the Part B premium from the Social Security check
5. SSA issues a refund for any premiums deducted after the MSP effective date

The total gap from application to seeing the premium stop can be four to six months. During this period, the premium may continue to be deducted; SSA refunds premiums deducted after the MSP effective date once its buy-in processing is complete. SLMB and QI can also cover up to three months before the application date retroactively, meaning those earlier premiums are refunded too.

Applying Is the Same for All Three

Apply at wesystem.wyo.gov, by phone at 1-855-294-2127, or by mail to the Customer Service Center in Cheyenne. The application form is the same regardless of which tier you are aiming for.

The Wyoming Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide includes a premium tracking timeline so you can monitor when to expect the deduction to stop and the retroactive refund to arrive.

See more Wyoming guides →