Wisconsin Medicare Savings Program: QMB, SLMB and SLMB+ Explained
What the Medicare Savings Programs Cover in Wisconsin
Wisconsin runs three main Medicare Savings Program tiers through the Department of Health Services. Each one pays your monthly Part B premium ($202.90 in 2026) directly, so the deduction stops coming out of your Social Security check. The difference between tiers is income cutoff and how much additional cost-sharing help you get.
QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) covers Part A premiums, Part B premiums, and all Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. Providers cannot bill you for any of it.
SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary) pays only the Part B premium. You still owe Medicare deductibles and coinsurance, but the $202.90 monthly premium goes away.
SLMB+ (Wisconsin's name for QI) also pays the Part B premium only. It works the same as SLMB from your side, but the federal government funds it differently. One key rule: you cannot hold SLMB+ and full Medicaid at the same time.
All three tiers automatically trigger full Extra Help for Part D prescriptions, which caps generic copays at $5.10 and brand copays at $12.65 in 2026, with a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket ceiling on drug costs.
2026 Income and Asset Limits
Wisconsin subtracts the $20 monthly disregard from gross unearned income when calculating countable income, which is what the published limits below measure.
| Program | Countable Monthly Income (Single) | Countable Monthly Income (Couple) | Assets (Single) | Assets (Couple) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QMB | $1,350 | $1,824 | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| SLMB | $1,351–$1,616 | $1,825–$2,184 | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| SLMB+ | $1,617–$1,816 | $2,185–$2,455 | $9,950 | $14,910 |
Income is evaluated at gross — the amount on your Social Security award letter, not what hits your bank account after the Part B deduction. This trips up many families because net deposits look lower than the number the state uses.
Your home (if you live in it), one car, and irrevocable burial trusts are all exempt from the asset count.
How to Apply
Applications go through your county's Income Maintenance consortium, not through Social Security and not through Medicare. Wisconsin organizes its 72 counties into 10 regional consortia plus Milwaukee Enrollment Services for Milwaukee County.
The primary online route is the ACCESS portal at access.wi.gov. You can also submit the paper application (Form F-10182 with Attachment 8 for assets) by mail or fax to your local consortium office.
The agency must process applications within 30 calendar days, or up to 45 days if a disability determination is required. Once approved, QMB starts the first of the month after the approval decision. SLMB and SLMB+ can be backdated up to three months if you were eligible during that time.
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Estate Recovery Does Not Apply
A common fear: that accepting help with Medicare premiums means Wisconsin will come after the family home. It won't. Medicare Savings Programs are explicitly exempt from Medicaid estate recovery under federal law (42 U.S.C. § 1396p) and Wisconsin's own eligibility handbook (MEH Section 22.1.8). If your parent also receives long-term care Medicaid, estate recovery can apply to those services — but the MSP portion stays protected.
SeniorCare: Wisconsin's Other Cost Saver
On top of MSP and Extra Help, Wisconsin runs SeniorCare — a separate state pharmacy assistance program for residents 65 and older. SeniorCare has no asset test, covers incomes well above the MSP thresholds (Level 1 goes up to $24,240/year single), and caps prescriptions at $5 generic / $15 brand after a $30 annual fee. It's a completely separate application from MSP and not connected to the ACCESS portal.
What to Do Next
If your parent's countable monthly income is at or below $1,816 (single), at least one MSP tier may fit the income limit. Our Wisconsin Medicare Savings Programs, Extra Help & SeniorCare Guide walks through the eligibility math with worked examples, maps your county to the right consortium, and includes the document checklist and dispute letter templates your parent will need after approval.
Get Your Free Wisconsin — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Download the Wisconsin — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.