SLMB, QI, and QDWI in Kentucky: Eligibility and Benefits Beyond QMB

When You Earn Too Much for QMB

QMB is the most generous Medicare Savings Program in Kentucky, but its income ceiling is tight — $1,350 per month for a single person in 2026. If your income exceeds that, three other programs can still eliminate your Part B or Part A premium.

SLMB: Part B Premium Help at 100–120% FPL

The Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary program covers your entire Part B monthly premium. In 2026 that's $202.90 per month — $2,434.80 per year returned to your Social Security check.

SLMB doesn't cover deductibles or coinsurance, only the premium. But it does trigger automatic Extra Help enrollment, which limits 2026 copays to no more than $12.65 per covered drug; some enrollees pay less or $0.

2026 SLMB limits: $1,616/month single, $2,184/month couple. Resource limit: $9,950 single, $14,910 couple. These figures include Kentucky's standard $20 unearned income disregard.

Unlike QMB (which starts the month after approval), SLMB can be backdated up to three months before the month of application, as long as you met eligibility during those months.

QI: Same Benefit, Higher Income Ceiling, First-Come Basis

The Qualifying Individual program (formally QI-1 in Kentucky) covers the same Part B premium as SLMB, with a higher income threshold.

2026 QI limits: $1,816/month single, $2,455/month couple. Same resource limits as QMB and SLMB.

The catch: QI is funded through a capped federal allotment, not an open-ended entitlement. Kentucky distributes QI slots on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to people who received QI the previous year. Kentucky has historically managed its allotment without running out mid-year, but there's no legal guarantee of enrollment.

QI also triggers automatic Extra Help for prescriptions, and like SLMB, it allows up to three months of retroactive coverage before the month of application if you met eligibility during those months.

One restriction: you cannot receive QI if you're already enrolled in full Medicaid. People eligible for both full Medicaid and Medicare qualify for QMB-Plus or SLMB-Plus instead.

QDWI: Part A Premium for Working Disabled Individuals

QDWI is the narrowest program. It pays the Part A premium for people who lost premium-free Part A because they returned to work after receiving Social Security disability benefits. The Part A premium runs up to $505 per month in 2026 — a significant cost QDWI eliminates.

2026 QDWI limits: $5,405/month single, $7,299/month couple. Resource limits are lower than the other programs: $4,000 single, $6,000 couple.

QDWI eligibility requires that you are under 65, entitled to Medicare Part A solely through the SSDI disability pathway, and have returned to substantial gainful activity.

Choosing the Right Program

You don't pick your program — DCBS assigns you to the highest level you qualify for based on your income and resources. An application (via kynect, phone, or paper MAP-205) is evaluated for the applicable program; QDWI also has specific working-disabled eligibility criteria.

A practical example: a disabled senior in Bowling Green with $1,620 in Social Security disability and $100 in pension income has $1,700 in countable income after the $20 disregard. That exceeds QMB ($1,350) and SLMB ($1,616) but falls under QI ($1,816). DCBS enrolls them in QI — their Part B premium is covered, and they're automatically deemed eligible for Extra Help.

For the complete income calculations, document requirements, and what to do if your income changes between tiers, see the Kentucky Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide.

See more Kentucky guides →