Indiana SLMB and QI Eligibility: Part B Premium Help Above QMB Limits
When You Earn Too Much for QMB
QMB covers everything — premiums, deductibles, copays. But its income limit in Indiana is $2,015 a month for a single applicant. If you earn $2,100 or $2,300, you don't qualify for QMB. That doesn't mean you're out of options.
Indiana runs two additional Medicare Savings Programs for people above the QMB threshold:
SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary) — Covers the Part B premium only. For people with income between $2,016 and $2,281/month (single) or $2,726 and $3,086/month (couple).
QI (Qualifying Individual) — Also covers the Part B premium only. For people with income between $2,282 and $2,481/month (single) or $3,087 and $3,356/month (couple).
Both programs share the same resource limits as QMB: $9,950 single, $14,910 couple.
What You Actually Get
Both SLMB and QI do one thing: stop the $202.90 monthly Part B premium from being deducted from your Social Security check. That's $2,434.80 a year back in your pocket. They don't cover deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments — those remain your responsibility.
But both programs come with a significant bonus: automatic enrollment in Extra Help (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy). Once DFR approves your SLMB or QI application, CMS flags you as "deemed LIS eligible." Your Part D prescription drug costs drop to minimal copays ($5.10 generic, $12.65 brand-name) with no deductible and a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap.
SLMB vs. QI: The Key Difference
SLMB and QI pay the same benefit — Part B premium only. The difference is structural:
SLMB is a Medicaid entitlement. If you're eligible, the state must approve you. Coverage can be retroactive up to three months before your application month. Renewals happen through the standard ex parte process.
QI runs on capped federal block-grant funding. Approvals are first-come, first-served. When the allocation runs out, eligible applicants go on a waitlist. QI requires annual re-application rather than automatic renewal. Coverage can also be retroactive up to three months.
In practice, Indiana has not exhausted its QI allocation in recent years. But the structural risk makes timely application important.
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Retroactive Coverage
Unlike QMB (which is prospective only — starts the month after approval), both SLMB and QI can go back up to three months before the month you applied. If you apply in June and were eligible in March, April, and May, DFR can approve coverage starting March 1. SSA will then refund the Part B premiums withheld during those months.
This retroactive window makes it worth applying even if you've been paying the premium for a few months. You may recover several months of premiums as a lump sum.
How to Apply
The application process for SLMB and QI is identical to QMB — same form, same portal (fssabenefits.in.gov), same phone number (1-800-403-0864). DFR evaluates your income and assets against all MSP categories simultaneously. You don't need to specify which program you want — DFR assigns you to the highest level you qualify for.
The Indiana Medicare Savings Programs Guide explains how DFR evaluates income across all MSP levels and includes a worksheet to estimate which program fits your situation.
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