If the Part B premium is a real weight in your monthly budget, there are programs built exactly for that — run by your state and by Social Security, free to apply for, and badly under-used. What you'll find here is what each program actually covers and where to apply. What you won't find: dollar promises, "you may qualify!" bait, or gift-card-sounding extras. Whether you qualify depends on income and asset limits your state sets — no website can tell you that, and you should be suspicious of any that claims to.
Required disclosures: Smooth Health Solutions is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 0–78 organizations which offer 0–2,613 products in your area. The exact number of organizations and products depends on your ZIP code, county, and plan year. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1‑800‑MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. This page is educational, not a recommendation of any specific plan.
State-run, several levels. The broadest (QMB) pays the Part B premium and Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, and copays; the narrower levels (SLMB, QI) pay the Part B premium. In 2026 that premium is $202.90 a month for most people, so an MSP is real money back in the budget every single month. Income cutoffs step up level by level, and asset limits apply in most states — the exact lines are your state's, not federal constants. Apply through your state Medicaid agency; a SHIP counselor (shiphelp.org, free) will help you figure out which level to aim for.
Formally the Part D Low-Income Subsidy: lower drug-plan premiums and deductibles and reduced copays. Apply anytime at ssa.gov or 1‑800‑772‑1213 — fifteen minutes, free — and approval also opens a window to pick or change a drug plan. If you qualify for an MSP or Medicaid you get Extra Help automatically, which is one reason applying for the first program is worth it even if the second is the one you'd heard of.
The honest financial story of dual coverage isn't plan extras — it's that Medicaid picks up what Medicare leaves: the Part B premium, much of the cost-sharing, and services Medicare doesn't cover, long-term care being the big one. Qualifying turns on state-specific income and asset limits set by your state Medicaid agency and SSA. If you might be close, apply — the application is the only real test, and it's free.
One caution, because this corner of Medicare attracts it: ads promising benefit dollars, grocery money, or premium "givebacks" to anyone who calls are selling something. The programs on this page are government programs with eligibility rules — not promotions. When an ad sounds like a prize, treat it like one.
65+ and reading about Medicaid: note that online Medicaid checkers built for the under-65 ACA population don't account for age or asset rules and will mislead you — skip the calculators, talk to your state agency or SHIP.
Bring your rough monthly income and what you pay now. I'll point you at the right program and the right office — and if a program covers it better than any plan change could, that's exactly what I'll say.
No cost. No obligation to enroll. We do not offer every plan available in your area.
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Important: Smooth Health Solutions is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 0–78 organizations which offer 0–2,613 products in your area. The exact number of organizations and products depends on your ZIP code, county, and plan year. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1‑800‑MEDICARE (1‑800‑633‑4227; TTY 1‑877‑486‑2048), or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. This page is for general education, reflects 2026 amounts published by CMS, and is not a complete description of benefits or a recommendation of any specific plan. Enrollment cannot be guaranteed until an application is accepted by the applicable insurance company or program.