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Persons eligible as QMBs can also be eligible for Medicaid. Because the income standard for QMB is the same as the income standard for Aged/Disabled in SR, many of these individuals are also eligible for Medicaid. Such persons are described as dually-eligible.

QMB coverage begins the month after the month in which a person is determined to be eligible (i.e., if a determination is made on August 15, benefits are effective beginning September 1). Three-month retroactive eligibility is not available under the QMB provision.

If an individual eligible as a QMB receives Title II income, the amount of the Title II COLA is disregarded for the first three months of the calendar year, from January 1 through March 31. The Title II COLAs are disregarded to alleviate problems caused by the disparity between the effective dates of the COLAs and the annual adjustments made to the FPLs.

SPECIAL LOW-INCOME MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES (SLIMB) 1.12

AR: N/A AX: N/A SR: N/A QM: A SLIMB is an individual who:

 is enrolled in Medicare Part A, and  has income between 100 percent and 300 percent of the FPL. Note that effective November 1, 2008, there is no asset test for SLIMB. Individuals and couples whose incomes are below 300 percent of the FPL are QMB eligible (see Section 1.10: Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMB) in this Chapter).

Benefits for SLIMBs are limited to payment of the Medicare Part B premium only.

SLIMB coverage begins the month of application. Additionally, SLIMBs are eligible for the three-month retroactive eligibility determination.

There are no spend-down provisions for SLIMBs.

If an individual eligible as a SLIMB receives Title II income, the amount of the Title II COLA is disregarded for the first three months of the calendar year, from January 1 through March 31. The Title II COLAs are disregarded to alleviate problems caused by the disparity between the effective dates of the COLAs and the FPLs.

(Note that effective July 1, 2005, SLIMB eligibility applies only to the month of application and the three months prior to the month of application, since the QMB income limit has been increased to include these customers for the period beginning with the month following the month of application.)

QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS I (QI-1) 1.13

AR: N/A