New Mexico Medicare Savings Program: Eligibility, Income Limits & How to Apply
What the Medicare Savings Programs Cover in New Mexico
New Mexico runs three Medicare Savings Programs through the Health Care Authority (formerly the Human Services Department, renamed in 2024). Each one pays a different slice of your Medicare costs:
QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) covers the most. The state pays your Part A premium (if you owe one), your Part B premium ($202.90/month in 2026), and all Medicare deductibles and coinsurance. QMB also makes it illegal for doctors to bill you for the leftover 20% that Medicare doesn't pay.
SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary) pays your Part B premium only. No cost-sharing coverage, but that's still $202.90 back in your Social Security check every month.
QI (Qualifying Individual) also pays your Part B premium. It works the same as SLMB but covers people with slightly higher income.
All three programs automatically qualify you for Extra Help with prescription drug costs — no separate application needed.
2026 Income Limits
The New Mexico Health Care Authority publishes eligibility based on the Federal Poverty Level. A $20 monthly income disregard applies to unearned income (Social Security, pensions), so someone earning $1,345 in Social Security actually has a countable income of $1,325.
| Program | Single Monthly Income | Couple Monthly Income |
|---|---|---|
| QMB | Up to $1,330 | Up to $1,804 |
| SLMB | $1,330 – $1,596 | $1,804 – $2,164 |
| QI | $1,596 – $1,796 | $2,164 – $2,435 |
These are gross FPL thresholds. After the $20 disregard, the effective QMB cutoff for a single person is $1,350 in gross Social Security income.
No Asset Test
New Mexico eliminated the asset test for all Medicare Savings Programs effective January 1, 2021. Your savings account, home, car, and retirement funds don't count. The only thing that matters is monthly income.
The HCA multi-program application (Form HCA-100) still asks about assets, but those questions apply to other programs like SNAP and long-term care Medicaid. For MSP purposes, caseworkers disregard them entirely.
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How to Apply
You can apply through the YesNM portal at yes.nm.gov, by phone at 1-800-283-4465, or by mailing a paper application to the Income Support Division in Santa Fe. Adult children helping from out of state can create a YesNM account, upload documents, and track the case remotely after submitting an Authorized Representative form.
The standard processing window for the Income Support Division is 45 days. If approved for QMB, coverage starts the first of the following month. SLMB and QI can be applied retroactively up to three calendar months before the application month.
What Happens After Approval
Once the ISD approves your application, the state sends an electronic file to the Social Security Administration. SSA stops deducting the Part B premium from your monthly check and refunds any premiums withheld during months you were entitled.
For QMB enrollees, the state also picks up Medicare deductibles and coinsurance. Doctors who accept Medicare are legally prohibited from billing you for those amounts — even if Medicaid pays them nothing.
Your MSP enrollment also triggers automatic eligibility for Extra Help (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy), which cuts prescription drug costs to minimal copays without a separate application.
Next Steps
The New Mexico Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide walks through the full application process, including a field-by-field map of the 32-page HCA-100 form, the conditional Part A enrollment protocol for people without 40 work quarters, and template letters for disputing illegal medical bills. It covers everything from initial eligibility screening through renewals and fair hearings.
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Download the New Mexico — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.