TennCare and the Medicare Savings Programs

If Medicare's costs are a stretch, there are four programs that can absorb most of them — and most people who qualify never apply.

There is a persistent assumption that Medicaid is only for people with almost nothing. In practice, the Medicare Savings Programs sit well above that line, and they do not require you to be on Medicaid in the full sense to get help with Medicare's costs.

In Tennessee these are federal programs administered through TennCare, the state's Medicaid program. The limits change every year, so we check your current numbers with you rather than publishing figures that go stale — but here is what each program actually does.

The four programs

QMB — Qualified Medicare Beneficiary. The most comprehensive. Pays your Part A and Part B premiums plus Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copays. Critically, providers generally may not bill you for Medicare cost-sharing at all.
SLMB — Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary. Pays your Part B premium, which is $202.90 a month in 2026.
QI — Qualifying Individual. Also pays the Part B premium, at a slightly higher income range. Funded by a limited annual allocation, so applying early in the year matters.
Full Medicaid (TennCare). Beyond premiums and cost-sharing, covers services Medicare does not — most notably long-term services and supports.

Qualifying for any of these automatically gets you Extra Help with prescription costs, which sharply reduces Part D premiums and copays and removes the Part D late enrollment penalty. That alone is often worth more than people expect.

If you have both Medicare and TennCare

Having both makes you a dual eligible. Tennessee offers Medicare Advantage plans built for that situation, typically with a $0 premium and coordination between your Medicare and TennCare benefits. Availability of these plans is defined county by county, and we will check what is actually offered where you live.

How to apply in Tennessee

Applications go through TennCare Connect online at tenncareconnect.tn.gov, by phone, or in person at your local Department of Human Services office. Tennessee's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (TN SHIP) also provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling statewide and can help you work through eligibility.

We are happy to walk through whether it is worth applying before you spend time on the paperwork — that conversation costs nothing and takes about ten minutes.

Common Questions

Questions we get

Very likely yes. The Medicare Savings Programs sit well above the threshold most people picture, and QI in particular reaches noticeably higher incomes than expected. The limits also change annually. Since applying costs nothing but time, it is usually worth checking rather than assuming.

QMB pays your Part A and Part B premiums and your Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copays. Just as importantly, providers generally may not bill a QMB for Medicare cost-sharing. If you are a QMB and receive a bill for Medicare coinsurance, that is usually an error worth challenging.

It is the name of Tennessee's Medicaid program, administered by the state's Division of TennCare. If you have both Medicare and TennCare, you are a dual eligible, which opens additional plan options and protections.

No. They are separate programs and qualifying for help through TennCare or a Medicare Savings Program does not reduce your Medicare coverage. It generally expands what you have — and it automatically qualifies you for Extra Help with prescription costs.

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Written and reviewed by Darin Weidauer — licensed Tennessee insurance agent (NPN 18580338), Gerontologist (USC Davis School of Gerontology), MBA, Registered Social Security Analyst, and U.S. Air Force veteran. Independent and appointed with 8 Tennessee carriers.Last reviewed September 2, 2026. Plan availability, benefits and costs change every plan year — verify current details at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.