 This video will review the most important things for attorneys working at legal aid to know about Medicare Savings Programs. What are Medicare Savings Programs? Medicare Savings Programs, or MSPs, are needs-based programs that help low-income seniors and people with disabilities with Medicare expenses. What are the different types of MSPs? There are four Medicare Savings Programs, Qualified Medicare Beneficiary, Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary, Qualifying Individual, and Qualified Disabled Working Individual. What is the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program? QMB helps pay for Medicare Part A and Part B premiums as well as deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. What is the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary Program? SLMB only helps pay for Part B premiums. What is the Qualifying Individual Program? Like SLMB, QI only helps pay for Part B premiums, but it has a higher income limit. Participants must reapply every year. Applications are granted on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to those who got benefits the previous year. A person who qualifies for Medicaid cannot receive QI benefits. What is the Qualified Disabled Working Individual Program? The QDWI Program helps pay for Part A premiums. It is exclusively for working people with a disability who are under 65 and lost their premium-free Part A benefits after returning to work. Applicants who already qualify for Medicaid are not eligible to receive benefits. Which agency administers Medicare Savings Programs? Medicare Savings Programs are administered by state-specific Medicaid or social services agencies. Who is eligible for MSPs? To qualify, applicants must be eligible for Medicare Part A and meet the income and resource limits. These limits change annually and are determined by the federal poverty level. What are the income limits? Each MSP has unique income limits that vary from year to year. $20 of an applicant's monthly income is excluded when determining eligibility. For example, to qualify for QMB, an applicant's monthly income cannot exceed 100% of the federal poverty level plus $20. For an individual to qualify for QMB in 2015, the limit was $1,001. The income limits for married couples are higher. The 2015 income limit for QMB was $1,348. These limits may increase in 2016. The limit for SLMB is 125% of the poverty level plus $20. The limit for QI is 135% and the QDWI limit is 200%. Alaska and Hawaii have slightly higher limits. This video's description includes a link to the Social Security Administration's website, which lists all of the income limits. What assets factor into the resource limits? In addition to meeting the monthly income limits, applicants must also meet resource limits. In 2015, the total of an individual's checking and savings accounts, stocks, and bonds could not exceed $7,280 to qualify for QMB, SLMB, or QI. The limit for married couples was $10,930. To qualify for QDWI, an individual's assets could not exceed $4,000 and married couples could not exceed $6,000. Again, these limits may increase in 2016. Several assets are excluded when determining eligibility. Do MSPs come with any extra benefits? Applicants who qualify for QMB, SLMB, or QI can also receive assistance paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage, or Part D. For more information about extra benefits, follow the link in this video's description. How does one apply? Application processes vary from state to state, but applications can generally be completed online through a state's Medicaid or social services agency website by filling out and mailing or faxing a paper application, or in person at the state agency's office. How long does it take to process the application? Each state has their own standard of promptness that dictates how many days the agency has to process applications once they are received. Unfortunately, these standards of promptness are sometimes unable to be met and decisions may be made outside of the designated timeframe. If a client's application is subject to unreasonable delays, the attorney should follow up. What kind of an impact can MSP benefits have on a client's life? Ms. Dixon came to legal aid seeking assistance with a consumer matter. The attorney who met with Ms. Dixon informed her that she qualified for MSP assistance and suggested she apply. After the attorney advised Ms. Dixon on her consumer issue, the case was marked for follow-up. When the attorney called her back, Ms. Dixon explained that she couldn't complete the MSP application on her own due to vision problems. The attorney made another appointment for Ms. Dixon to come into the office and assisted her with her application. A few weeks later, the attorney contacted Ms. Dixon again and learned that she was approved for MSP benefits. This additional income would make it easier for her to pay for food and other expenses.