The state Medicaid program will pay Medicare premiums, co-insurance and deductibles for those who meet eligibility requirements as qualified Medicare beneficiaries (QMBs) under a provision of the Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988.
To qualify, an individual must receive Medicare, have total assets of less than $4,000 ($6,000 for a married couple) and a monthly income below $481 ($645 for a married couple). Some income and half of all earned income do not count toward eligibility. The home a person lives in, in some cases a car, and certain other assets also are exempt.For information, call the Division of Health Care Financing, 1-800-538-6155. Applications are being accepted at all local Social Services offices.