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Colorado Medicare cost help
Last updated: 18 September 2026
Colorado Medicare Savings Programs can lower Medicare costs for people with limited income and resources. The four programs are QMB, SLMB, QI, and QDWI. Colorado handles applications through Health First Colorado and county eligibility offices.
Bottom Line
If you have Medicare and money is tight, ask Colorado to screen you for every Medicare Savings Program. Do not stop because your income looks a little too high. Colorado applies income disregards, especially for work income. In 2026, the standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month, so getting that premium paid can protect more than $2,400 a year in a fixed-income budget.
QMB gives the broadest help, including Medicare cost sharing and strong billing protection. SLMB and QI mainly pay the Part B premium. QDWI is a narrow Part A premium program for certain working people with disabilities.
Start Here
- Apply or check your case: Use Colorado PEAK, call Health First Colorado, or contact your county eligibility office.
- Ask for all four levels: Say, “Please screen me for QMB, SLMB, QI, and QDWI if any may apply.”
- Get free Medicare counseling: Call Colorado SHIP at 1-888-696-7213. The statewide Spanish counseling number is 303-894-5953.
| Your problem | Start with | Ask this | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part B premium is hard to afford | PEAK or county office | Screen me for every MSP | Income is not always counted dollar for dollar |
| You have QMB and got a bill | Provider billing office | Check my QMB status | Protection applies to Medicare-covered cost sharing |
| Application is pending | County eligibility office | What proof is missing? | Keep upload and delivery records |
| You were denied or stopped | Notice of Action | What is my appeal deadline? | A hearing is generally due within 60 days |
What Has Changed
- 2026 income figures are higher. The prior version carried 2025 QMB, SLMB, and QI figures. The 2026 federal screening figures are now $1,350/$1,824 for QMB, $1,616/$2,184 for SLMB, and $1,816/$2,455 for QI for an individual/couple. Colorado still applies its own income-counting rules.
- Colorado resource limits increased. Effective January 1, 2026, Colorado raised the QMB, SLMB, and QI resource limits to $11,450 for one person and $17,910 for a couple under the state 2026 resource memo.
- QDWI needs a different screen. Colorado QDWI rules use a 200% poverty standard plus earned-income disregards. This guide no longer treats the old gross-income number as a hard cutoff.
How Colorado Medicare Savings Programs Work
A Medicare Savings Program, or MSP, is not a cash grant. It is help with certain Medicare costs. Medicare explains the four national MSP categories on its Medicare MSP page. Colorado makes the eligibility decision.
Colorado sets the rules through Health First Colorado, while county eligibility sites handle much of the application work.
For a national overview of the four programs, see the national MSP guide.
Colorado automatically enrolls some mandatory Supplemental Security Income members into QMB when they have premium-free Part A, as explained in its automatic QMB memo. Ask the county to review your case if it should apply.
2026 Income and Resource Limits
Do not treat these numbers as a reason not to apply. Colorado uses countable income, not always the gross amount on a check. Its rules include disregards for some income, including earned income. Work income may still qualify after disregards.
Colorado uses the federal poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states. The 2026 poverty guidelines are $15,960 a year for one person and $21,640 for two. Medicare’s 2026 QMB, SLMB, and QI screens reflect those figures, then Colorado applies state counting rules.
| Program | 2026 income screen | Colorado resources | Main help |
|---|---|---|---|
| QMB | $1,350 individual / $1,824 couple | $11,450 / $17,910 | Part A premium if owed, Part B premium, Medicare deductibles and coinsurance |
| SLMB | $1,616 individual / $2,184 couple | $11,450 / $17,910 | Part B premium |
| QI | $1,816 individual / $2,455 couple | $11,450 / $17,910 | Part B premium |
| QDWI | Special working-disability test; Colorado uses less than 200% of the poverty guideline after applicable income rules | $4,000 individual / $6,000 couple | Part A premium |
The QMB, SLMB, and QI income numbers above are screening figures, not guaranteed eligibility cutoffs. Medicare lists the same 2026 income amounts, while Colorado applies its own disregards. Medicare.gov shows lower national resource screens, but Colorado’s 2026 memo directs its eligibility sites to use $11,450/$17,910 for QMB, SLMB, and QI. Colorado’s MSP eligibility rules also apply special earned-income treatment. Ask the county to calculate your countable income before you assume you are over the limit.
Resources are different from income. Countable resources may include bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and some retirement, annuity, or trust money. A home you live in, one vehicle, household goods, and some burial arrangements generally are not counted for QMB, SLMB, and QI. The county decides how each asset is treated.
QMB, SLMB, QI, and QDWI Explained
QMB: The Strongest Medicare Cost Help
What it helps with: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary, or QMB, can pay the Part B premium, a Part A premium if you owe one, and Medicare cost sharing for covered care.
Who may qualify: You generally need Medicare Part A, Colorado residency, and income and resources within the QMB rules after applicable disregards. Some SSI members with premium-free Part A can be enrolled automatically.
Where to apply: Use the same Health First Colorado application routes described below.
Reality check: Colorado’s rules say regular QMB benefits are not retroactive. Eligibility normally starts after the eligibility determination under the state rule, so apply as soon as you think you may qualify.
SLMB: Part B Premium Help
What it helps with: Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary, or SLMB, pays the Medicare Part B premium. It does not provide QMB’s broad cost-sharing protection.
Who may qualify: A person with Medicare Part A whose countable income is above QMB but within the SLMB range may qualify.
Where to apply: Use the same Colorado application. Ask for SLMB screening even if QMB is denied.
Reality check: Colorado rules allow SLMB to begin in the application month and may allow up to three months of retroactive eligibility when all rules were met.
QI: Another Part B Premium Path
What it helps with: Qualifying Individual, or QI, also pays the Part B premium.
Who may qualify: QI is for people with Medicare Part A whose income is above the SLMB range but below the QI limit and who are not otherwise eligible for another Medicaid category.
Where to apply: Apply through Health First Colorado and your county, just as you would for QMB or SLMB.
Reality check: QI is federally funded with an allocation. Medicare says applications are handled first-come, first-served, with priority for people who had QI the prior year. Colorado rules also provide for a waiting list if the allocation is reached. QI can be retroactive for up to three months when the rules are met.
QDWI: Narrow Help for Working Disabled People
What it helps with: Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals, or QDWI, pays the Medicare Part A premium.
Who may qualify: Colorado’s rule is aimed at a person who remains disabled, returned to work, lost Social Security disability cash benefits because of earnings, and exhausted extended premium-free Part A. The person must also meet QDWI financial rules and not qualify under another Medicaid category.
Where to apply: Use Health First Colorado and be ready with Social Security, Medicare, work, and disability records.
Reality check: Do not compare gross wages directly with a simple 200% poverty number. Colorado applies an earned-income disregard before the final eligibility calculation. If you are working and disabled, ask the county to run the QDWI calculation.
How to Apply Without Wasting Time
Colorado offers online, phone, paper, and in-person routes on the Health First Colorado application page.
- Use PEAK when possible. It lets you submit an application and check status online.
- Use phone help if needed. Health First Colorado accepts phone applications at 1-800-221-3943 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except state holidays and special closure periods.
- Use paper if online is hard. HCPF keeps paper application forms for medical assistance.
- Use your county for case details. The official county office list helps you find the eligibility office serving your residence.
- Ask for every MSP. Do not ask only for QMB. A person who misses QMB may still qualify for SLMB or QI.
- Keep proof of delivery. Save upload confirmations, fax receipts, mailing records, or stamped copies.
If you need a simpler walk-through of Colorado’s online benefits system, use the GFS Colorado PEAK guide. If you want a quick non-government screening tool before applying, the GFS MSP and Extra Help checker can help you organize the questions to ask, but Colorado makes the actual eligibility decision.
Documents and Information to Gather
- Medicare card showing Part A and Part B status
- Social Security benefit letter or current benefit amount
- Pension, Railroad Retirement, annuity, or other retirement-income proof
- Recent pay stubs if you or your spouse works
- Checking and savings account statements
- Statements for stocks, bonds, IRA, annuity, or trust accounts when requested
- Proof of Colorado address and identity
- Marriage information if the county needs a couple calculation
- Any Health First Colorado denial, renewal, or proof-request notice
- Medicare bills or collection letters if QMB billing is the problem
Helpful tip: If a trusted family member is helping, ask how to name an authorized representative. Do not share a PEAK password when the county can give the helper a proper role or form.
If a Provider Bills You and You Have QMB
Do not assume the bill is correct. Federal QMB protections are strong. CMS explains that Medicare providers and suppliers generally cannot bill QMB members for Medicare-covered deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments under the QMB billing rules.
- Call the provider’s billing office and say you have QMB.
- Show or send proof of Medicare and QMB/Health First Colorado coverage.
- Ask the office to correct the account and stop collection activity for protected Medicare cost sharing.
- If you already paid a protected charge, ask the provider to review the payment for a refund.
- If the bill continues, call 1-800-MEDICARE and keep every bill, receipt, collection letter, and Medicare Summary Notice.
Medicare also publishes a short QMB fact sheet you can show a billing office. For a fuller GFS walk-through, use the QMB billing protections guide.
What to Watch After Approval
Read the approval notice. Check the program name and start date.
If your Part B premium is still being deducted after the state says your premium help is active, contact your county and ask them to check the Medicare premium payment or “buy-in” record. Keep the approval notice and payment record. The GFS premium billing help guide explains what to check when Medicare premiums are billed or deducted in the wrong way.
QMB, SLMB, and QI generally also bring automatic Medicare Part D Extra Help. Medicare’s Extra Help page explains the benefit. If drug costs still look wrong, compare your Medicare and plan letters, then use the GFS Extra Help guide for the next call.
Reality Checks
- The posted income number is not the whole calculation. Colorado applies disregards. Working applicants should not self-deny from gross income alone.
- QMB is different from SLMB and QI. QMB includes Medicare cost-sharing protection; SLMB and QI mainly pay the Part B premium.
- QMB is not ordinarily retroactive. Waiting to apply can cost you months of help.
- QI has funding rules. Renew promptly and answer requests for proof.
- Portal status is not the same as a final decision. Save every written notice because it tells you what changed and how to appeal.
- Public pages can lag annual changes. The 2026 Colorado resource memo is newer than some older program pages. Ask the eligibility office to use current-year rules.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying only for QMB and never asking about SLMB or QI.
- Assuming pension income or wages are counted exactly as gross income.
- Ignoring a county proof request because you already uploaded the same document once.
- Paying a QMB-protected Medicare bill without first checking whether the provider billed correctly.
- Throwing away a denial or termination notice before checking the appeal deadline.
- Assuming an MSP is the same as full Medicaid. MSP coverage can exist with or without broader Medicaid.
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
If you disagree with an eligibility decision, keep the Notice of Action. Colorado says you generally have 60 days from the notice date to ask for a state fair hearing. You can also ask your county or eligibility site for an informal meeting. The official Colorado appeals page explains both routes.
If you are already covered and the state is ending coverage, a much shorter deadline may apply to keep coverage going during the appeal. Colorado says the Office of Administrative Courts generally must receive the appeal within 10 days of the date of action for continued eligibility coverage. Read your own notice because the facts of your case control.
For questions about Health First Colorado, call the Member Contact Center at 1-800-221-3943. The current Health First Colorado contact page lists regular phone hours as 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, except state holidays and the stated third-Thursday closure period. PEAK technical support is 1-800-250-7741.
Backup Options if MSP Is Not Enough
Ask about full Medicaid. An MSP member may also qualify for broader Health First Colorado. If Medicare and Medicaid both apply, the GFS dual eligible guide explains how the two programs fit together.
If you work and have a disability: Colorado’s separate working adults buy-in may be worth asking about if QDWI is too narrow or you need fuller Medicaid coverage.
If hospital bills are the immediate problem: Colorado’s hospital discounted care program may reduce eligible hospital and emergency-room bills for some lower-income patients.
If you need local senior help: Your Area Agency on Aging can connect you with local senior services. The GFS Colorado AAA guide helps you find the right regional office.
Local and Official Help
| Resource | Best use | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Health First Colorado | Application and member questions | 1-800-221-3943 / State Relay 711 |
| County eligibility office | Missing proof, case status, eligibility calculation | Use the state county list |
| Colorado SHIP | Free Medicare counseling | 1-888-696-7213 |
| Spanish SHIP counseling | Medicare help in Spanish | 303-894-5953 |
| PEAK technical support | Login, password, error, navigation problems | 1-800-250-7741 |
| 1-800-MEDICARE | Medicare coverage and QMB billing problems | 1-800-633-4227 |
Health First Colorado offers interpreter and accessibility support. See language assistance if you need another language, large print, or another communication format.
Phone Scripts You Can Use
Applying for MSP help
“I have Medicare and limited income. Please screen me for QMB, SLMB, QI, and QDWI if any may apply. What income and resources are you counting, and what proof do you need from me?”
Application still pending
“My Medicare Savings Program application is still pending. Please tell me the exact document or verification that is missing, the due date, and whether my last upload shows as received.”
Part B still deducted
“My notice says my Medicare Savings Program is active, but the Part B premium is still being taken from my Social Security. Can you check the Medicare buy-in record and tell me what follow-up is needed?”
QMB bill from provider
“I have QMB. Please review this bill for Medicare-covered deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments. Please update my account, stop improper billing, and tell me what you need to verify my QMB status.”
Resumen en Español
En Colorado, los Programas de Ahorros de Medicare pueden ayudar a pagar costos de Medicare. Los programas principales son QMB, SLMB, QI y QDWI. QMB ofrece la ayuda más amplia porque puede pagar la prima de la Parte B y ciertos deducibles, copagos y coseguros de servicios cubiertos por Medicare. SLMB y QI pagan principalmente la prima de la Parte B. QDWI es un programa más limitado para ciertas personas con discapacidad que trabajan.
Para solicitar ayuda, use Colorado PEAK, llame a Health First Colorado al 1-800-221-3943 o contacte la oficina de elegibilidad de su condado. No se descarte solo por sus ingresos brutos. Colorado aplica reglas especiales para contar ingresos. Para asesoría gratuita de Medicare, llame a Colorado SHIP al 1-888-696-7213. La línea estatal de consejería en español es 303-894-5953.
Si recibe una factura médica y tiene QMB, no asuma que la factura es correcta. Muestre su tarjeta de Medicare y prueba de QMB, pida a la oficina de facturación que revise la cuenta y llame a 1-800-MEDICARE si el problema continúa. Si recibe una carta de denegación o terminación, guárdela y revise inmediatamente la fecha límite para apelar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the 2026 MSP income screens increase?
Yes. Medicare’s 2026 federal QMB, SLMB, and QI screening amounts increased from 2025. The 2026 screens are $1,350/$1,824 for QMB, $1,616/$2,184 for SLMB, and $1,816/$2,455 for QI for an individual/couple. Colorado still applies income disregards, so higher gross income can still be worth screening.
How much can I have in resources?
For 2026, Colorado’s resource limit for QMB, SLMB, and QI is $11,450 for one person and $17,910 for a couple. QDWI uses $4,000 for one person and $6,000 for a couple. The county also decides whether a particular asset is countable.
Can QMB cover earlier months?
Regular Colorado QMB benefits are not retroactive. Colorado rules say QMB eligibility begins after the eligibility determination under the state timing rule. SLMB and QI can allow up to three retroactive months when the person met the rules.
Does QMB stop provider bills?
For Medicare-covered services, providers generally cannot bill a QMB member for Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments. Show proof of QMB, ask the billing office to correct the account, and call 1-800-MEDICARE if protected billing continues.
Do SLMB and QI give full Medicaid?
No. SLMB and QI are limited Medicare Savings Programs that pay the Part B premium. A person may separately qualify for full Health First Colorado, but that requires a different eligibility decision.
Does MSP approval include Extra Help?
QMB, SLMB, and QI generally make a person automatically eligible for Medicare Part D Extra Help. QDWI does not work the same way, so a QDWI applicant with high drug costs should ask for a separate Extra Help check.
How long do I have to appeal?
Colorado says you generally have 60 days from the date on the Notice of Action to request a state fair hearing. If you are already covered and want coverage to continue during an eligibility appeal, the deadline can be much shorter, generally 10 days from the date of action. Follow the notice you received.
About This Guide
Sources: This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources linked in the article.
Editorial note
This guide is produced under the GFS Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources. GFS is not affiliated with a government agency and is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Corrections
Despite careful verification, errors may occur. Readers may email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, funding, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the responsible official program before acting.
Last updated: 18 September 2026 · Next review: 18 January 2027
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