QI-1 Medicaid, formally the Qualifying Individual program, is a Medicare Savings Program run by state Medicaid agencies that pays your Medicare Part B premium — $202.90 a month in 2026, or roughly $2,435 for the year.1Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles It is not full Medicaid. It covers that one cost, nothing else, and it is aimed at people whose income is a little too high for the more generous Medicare Savings Programs but still limited enough to need help.
What QI-1 Actually Pays
QI-1 pays your Part B premium and only your Part B premium. If Medicare currently deducts the premium from your Social Security check, that deduction stops once you’re enrolled, and your monthly deposit goes up by the premium amount.2Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Partner Tip Sheet – Refunds of Premiums and Copayments
The program does not pay Part A premiums, Part D premiums, deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance, and it does not provide the broader medical coverage that traditional Medicaid offers.3Medicare.gov. Medicare Savings Programs
Who Qualifies
You must be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B and live in the state where you apply.3Medicare.gov. Medicare Savings Programs You also cannot already qualify for any other form of Medicaid. If your income is low enough to get full Medicaid, QMB, or SLMB, you get that instead.
For 2026, monthly income limits are $1,816 for an individual and $2,455 for a married couple. Limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii.3Medicare.gov. Medicare Savings Programs
Resource limits are $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a married couple. Countable resources include money in bank accounts, stocks, and bonds. Your primary home, one vehicle, personal belongings, and burial plots are generally excluded.4SSA – POMS. Medicare Savings Programs Income and Resource Limits Some states have raised or eliminated the resource test, so it’s worth checking your state’s rules even if you think you own too much to qualify.
How QI-1 Fits Alongside QMB and SLMB
QI-1 is one of three main Medicare Savings Programs, and the differences matter because you can only be in one.3Medicare.gov. Medicare Savings Programs
- QMB covers Part A premiums, Part B premiums, deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. 2026 income limits: $1,350 individual, $1,824 couple.
- SLMB covers only the Part B premium. 2026 income limits: $1,616 individual, $2,184 couple.
- QI-1 covers only the Part B premium. 2026 income limits: $1,816 individual, $2,455 couple.
SLMB and QI-1 pay the same benefit, but QI-1 reaches further up the income scale. In exchange, QI-1 carries restrictions the other two don’t: you have to reapply every year, enrollment is first-come, first-served against a capped pot of money, and you cannot receive any other Medicaid benefit at the same time. Resource limits are the same across all three.
The Extra Help Bonus
Enrolling in QI-1 automatically qualifies you for Extra Help, the federal Low-Income Subsidy that lowers Medicare Part D drug costs. In 2026, Extra Help caps your copays at $5.10 for generics and $12.65 for brand-name drugs.5Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Calendar Year 2026 Resource and Cost-Sharing Limits for Low-Income Subsidy You don’t file a separate application; Extra Help starts once your QI-1 enrollment goes through.3Medicare.gov. Medicare Savings Programs
Why Timing Matters
QI-1 is funded through a capped federal allotment to each state. Once a state exhausts its allotment for the year, no new applicants can be added, even if they meet every eligibility rule.3Medicare.gov. Medicare Savings Programs Priority goes to people who had QI-1 the previous year. New applicants who wait until mid-year risk being shut out by timing alone.
The renewal side of this matters too. You have to reapply every year, and if you miss the deadline you re-enter the line as a new applicant competing for whatever funding remains. Your state agency will send a renewal notice, but the safer approach is to track the date yourself.
How to Apply
Applications go through your state Medicaid agency or local social services office. Most states accept applications in person, by mail, and online.3Medicare.gov. Medicare Savings Programs A State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor can help you fill out the paperwork for free.
Have documentation ready: proof of Medicare Part A and Part B enrollment, income records (Social Security award letters, pension statements, pay stubs), and resource records (bank and investment statements). The state may follow up with additional questions before approving your case.
If you’re approved, coverage can be applied retroactively for up to three months before the month you applied, but not into the prior calendar year.6Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Program Overview and Policy Any Part B premiums you paid out of pocket during that retroactive window should be refunded.
Once you’re enrolled, report changes in income, resources, or household size to your state Medicaid agency when they happen. An unreported change that pushes you over the limits can end your benefit and complicate next year’s reapplication.