Montana Medicare Savings Programs: QMB, SLMB, QI Explained

The Four Programs Montana Runs

Montana DPHHS administers four Medicare Savings Programs through the Human and Community Services Division. Each one targets a different income band and covers different costs:

QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) is the most comprehensive. It pays your Part A premium, Part B premium ($202.90/month in 2026), and all Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. For Medicare-covered services, providers cannot bill you for Part A or Part B deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments. Income limit: $1,350/month individual, $1,824/month couple.

SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary) pays your Part B premium only. Income range: $1,350–$1,616/month individual, $1,824–$2,184/month couple.

QI (Qualifying Individual) also pays the Part B premium, but funding comes from a capped federal block grant — approval is first-come, first-served. Income range: $1,616–$1,816/month individual, $2,184–$2,450/month couple.

QDWI (Qualified Disabled Working Individual) pays the Part A premium for people under 65 who lost premium-free Part A by returning to work. Income limit: $2,680/month individual. This one uses lower resource limits ($4,000/$6,000) than the other three.

All four programs share the same resource limits of $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a couple (except QDWI). Your home, one vehicle, personal belongings, and burial funds up to $1,500 don't count.

Who Handles What in Montana

The organizational split matters because it determines who you call when something goes wrong:

• Local Offices of Public Assistance (OPA) across Montana's 56 counties process MSP applications and annual renewals
• Health Resources Division (HRD) handles premium buy-in payments to CMS and resolves provider billing disputes
• Senior and Long Term Care Division runs Big Sky Rx separately — a different application, different office, different phone number

If you're calling about an MSP application, the Public Assistance Helpline is 1-888-706-1535. For Big Sky Rx questions, call 1-866-369-1233. For billing disputes where a provider is improperly charging a QMB beneficiary, contact Montana SHIP at 1-800-551-3191.

The MSP–Extra Help Connection

Getting approved for QMB, SLMB, or QI automatically qualifies you for Medicare Extra Help (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy). DPHHS sends your eligibility data to CMS daily, and CMS issues an automatic "deemed" notice — no separate SSA application needed. Extra Help eliminates your Part D deductible, wipes out the coverage gap, and caps drug copays at $1.60 for generics and $4.90 for brand-name drugs under QMB.

This automatic link is one of the strongest reasons to apply even if you think you're borderline eligible. The Part B premium savings alone run $2,434 per year, and Extra Help can save another $2,000–$5,000 depending on your prescriptions.

How to Start an Application

You can apply online at apply.mt.gov, by phone at 1-888-706-1535, in person at your county OPA office, or by mailing the Combined Application for Assistance to DPHHS in Helena. The state must decide within 45 days.

If someone else is applying on behalf of a parent, they'll need to file DPHHS Form HCSD-102 to become an authorized representative before the agency will discuss case details.

For the complete application walkthrough — income worksheets, document checklists, and what to do about denials — see our Montana Medicare Savings Programs guide.

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