Quick answers
- What does North Carolina call Medicare Savings Programs?
- MQB, NC Medicaid's label for its Qualified Medicare Beneficiary programs. The manual uses MQB-Q for QMB, MQB-B for SLMB and MQB-E for QI.
- What are the income limits?
- Countable income up to 100% of the federal poverty level for MQB-Q, over 100% and up to 120% for MQB-B, and over 120% and up to 135% for MQB-E. NC Medicaid's chart MA-2252 lists the monthly amounts.
- Does North Carolina have an asset test?
- Yes. Countable resources must be no more than $9,950 for one person or $14,910 for a couple. Your home and one car used for transportation don't count.
- Where do I apply?
- Online through ePASS, or with your county Department of Social Services (DSS) in person, by phone, by mail, email or fax. The NC Medicaid Contact Center, 1-888-245-0179, can help you find your DSS.
- Do I get Extra Help too?
- Yes. If North Carolina approves you for MQB-Q, MQB-B or MQB-E, you get Extra Help with Part D drug costs automatically.
What does each North Carolina program pay?
Medicare Savings Programs are federal programs that each state's Medicaid agency runs. In North Carolina they belong to NC Medicaid (the NCDHHS Division of Health Benefits), and your county Department of Social Services (DSS) decides your case. NC Medicaid's Aged, Blind and Disabled Medicaid Manual calls them MQB programs, so that is the name you'll see on letters and forms:
| NC name (federal name) | What NC Medicaid pays | Good to know in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| MQB-Q (QMB, Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) | Part B premium, Part A premium if you owe one, and Medicare deductibles and coinsurance for Medicare-covered care | You get a Medicaid card. Starts the month after the county's decision; never backdated |
| MQB-B (SLMB, Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary) | Part B premium | You must have Part A. No Medicaid card. Can go back up to 3 months |
| MQB-E (QI, Qualifying Individual) | Part B premium | Only if you don't qualify for any other NC Medicaid program. Federal funding is capped, first come, first served |
| M-WD (QDWI, Qualified Disabled and Working Individual) | Part A premium | For people under 65 who lost premium-free Part A because they went back to work |
The Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, so MQB-B or MQB-E alone is worth $2,434.80 over a full year. MQB-Q also covers the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) and the Part A hospital deductible ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026). The MQB programs don't pay for anything Medicare doesn't cover, such as glasses or dental care, and NC Medicaid's manual says MQB members don't qualify for Medicaid's non-emergency medical transportation.
North Carolina's income limits
North Carolina uses the federal minimum income levels and hasn't raised them. NC Medicaid's chart MA-2252, Non-MAGI Medicaid Income/Reserve Limits (effective April 1, 2026), lists the monthly amounts for households of one to eight people:
| Program | Countable income, share of the federal poverty level | Resource limit, one person | Resource limit, couple |
|---|---|---|---|
| MQB-Q | Up to 100% | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| MQB-B | Over 100%, up to 120% | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| MQB-E | Over 120%, up to 135% | $9,950 | $14,910 |
Three North Carolina details matter when you compare your income to the chart:
- Countable income, not gross. The county subtracts a small general income exclusion from your income, and for wages it also subtracts a work-expense exclusion and then half of what's left (NC Medicaid manual MA-2260). Count your Social Security before the Part B premium is taken out.
- Family size. Because of a court ruling, North Carolina compares income to the limit for your family size: you, your spouse and any dependent children under 18 living with you. That's why MA-2252 has columns for larger households.
- April updates and the January raise. The poverty-level amounts change each April 1. For MQB-Q, the county ignores the January Social Security cost-of-living increase in January, February and March, so a raise doesn't cost you help before the new limits take effect.
Why other websites show different numbers. Medicare.gov's national chart adds the general income exclusion into its figures, so its monthly limits look a little higher than NC Medicaid's chart. North Carolina's chart shows the poverty-level amounts themselves and subtracts the exclusion from your income instead. Both describe the same test; when they differ, NC Medicaid's chart and your county DSS decide.
Try our savings programs screener to see roughly where your income falls, or read What are the Medicare Savings Program income limits in North Carolina?
The asset test
North Carolina keeps an asset test for MQB, and its reserve limit is the federal standard: $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple (MA-2252). Resources are counted as of the first moment of the month. NC Medicaid's resource manual (MA-2230) doesn't count the home you live in, household goods and personal effects, one motor vehicle used for transportation, burial spaces, irrevocable burial contracts, or retirement accounts you can't withdraw in a lump sum. Bank accounts, CDs, stocks, bonds and other real estate generally count. Details are in What assets count for Medicare Savings Programs in North Carolina?
How to apply in North Carolina
- Apply online or through your county DSS. Apply online through ePASS (you'll need an NCID; the application calls NC Medicaid "Medical Assistance"), or apply in person, by phone, or by mail, email or fax with your county DSS. Walk-ins are accepted at every county office.
- Have your papers ready. Your Medicare card, Social Security award letter, pension or retirement statements, pay stubs if you work, and statements for bank, investment and life insurance accounts.
- Answer the county's mail. The processing standard is 45 days. If DSS asks for something, send it on time and keep copies.
- Watch your Social Security check. Once NC Medicaid starts paying your Part B premium, it stops coming out of your benefit. The change can take a few months to show up.
The NC Medicaid Contact Center, 1-888-245-0179 (TTY 711), can help you find your county DSS. Step by step: How do I apply for a Medicare Savings Program in North Carolina?
When coverage starts and ends
- MQB-Q begins the first day of the month after the county decides your case, with no retroactive months, and is certified for 12 months. Renewal is handled by the county, often without a new application.
- MQB-B can begin up to three months before the month you apply, if you qualified in those months.
- MQB-E can also go back up to three months, but never before January of the current year. Its federal money is a fixed amount each year, so NC Medicaid approves MQB-E first come, first served.
- Report changes in income, resources or household to your county DSS. Help stops if you no longer qualify or leave Part B.
Extra Help comes with it
Medicare.gov says people who get help from their state paying Part B premiums through a Medicare Savings Program get Extra Help with Part D drug costs automatically (42 CFR 423.773(c)). In 2026 Extra Help caps what you pay at $5.10 for each generic drug and $12.65 for each brand-name drug, and you owe no Part D late enrollment penalty while you have it. Extra Help's own limits are higher than MQB's, so some North Carolinians who miss MQB still qualify for it. See Extra Help in North Carolina.
MQB and NC Medicaid health plans
North Carolina law keeps MQB-only members out of NC Medicaid managed care: G.S. 108D-40(a)(1) excludes people whose Medicaid is limited to Medicare premiums and cost sharing. If you also qualify for full NC Medicaid, you're a "full dual," and today most people with both Medicare and full Medicaid get their Medicaid through NC Medicaid Direct. For the bigger picture, read NC Medicaid and Medicare and dual-eligible special needs plans in North Carolina; each D-SNP sets which levels of Medicaid it accepts.
Estate recovery doesn't apply to MQB help
North Carolina's Medicaid estate recovery law, G.S. 108A-70.5, covers nursing facility care, home and community-based services, and related hospital, drug and personal care services for people 55 and older, plus long institutional stays at any age. Federal law, 42 U.S.C. 1396p(b)(1)(B)(ii), bars states from recovering Medicare cost-sharing help. Help from MQB-Q, MQB-B or MQB-E alone isn't recovered from your estate. Other NC Medicaid services can be; see Does NC Medicaid take your house after death?
After you're approved
MQB doesn't change your Medicare coverage, but with Extra Help you have more chances to change drug coverage during the year. To compare Medicare plans from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent. Benefits Life is not connected with NC Medicaid or your county DSS, which decide who qualifies.
Sources
- NC Medicaid — MA-2252, Non-MAGI Medicaid Income/Reserve Limits, effective April 1, 2026 (PDF)
- NC Medicaid — MA-2130, Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries - Q (PDF)
- NC Medicaid — MA-2140, Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries - B (PDF)
- NC Medicaid — MA-2160, Qualified Individual 1 (MQB-E) (PDF)
- NC Medicaid — MA-2260, Financial Eligibility Regulations (MQB family size budgeting) (PDF)
- NC Medicaid — MA-2230, Financial Resources (PDF)
- NC Medicaid — MA-2410, Medicare Enrollment and Buy-In (PDF)
- NC Medicaid — How to apply for NC Medicaid
- North Carolina General Statutes — G.S. 108D-40, Populations covered by managed care
- North Carolina General Statutes — G.S. 108A-70.5, Medicaid Estate Recovery Plan
- U.S. Code — 42 U.S.C. 1396p, Liens, adjustments and recoveries
- Medicare.gov — Medicare Savings Programs
- Medicare.gov — Help with drug costs (Extra Help)
- eCFR — 42 CFR 423.773, Requirements for eligibility (Extra Help deemed eligibility)
Every question in this guide
- Can a doctor bill me if I have QMB in North Carolina?
- How do I apply for a Medicare Savings Program in North Carolina?
- How do I apply for Extra Help in North Carolina?
- QMB vs. SLMB vs. QI in North Carolina
- What are the Medicare Savings Program income limits in North Carolina?
- What assets count for Medicare Savings Programs in North Carolina?
- What is MQB in North Carolina Medicaid?
Frequently asked questions
Does QMB pay my Part A premium?
Yes, if you owe one. Most people get premium-free Part A, but NC Medicaid's buy-in manual (MA-2410) says Medicaid pays the Part A premium for people approved for MQB-Q who aren't entitled to premium-free Part A. MQB-Q pays the Part B premium for everyone it covers.
How long does NC DSS take to approve a Medicare Savings Program application?
NC Medicaid's manual sets a 45-day processing standard for MQB applications, longer when a disability decision is needed. Answer any request for papers quickly, because missing documents are the usual cause of delays.
Does MQB-Q start right away?
MQB-Q starts the first day of the month after the county decides your case, and North Carolina's manual says it can never be backdated. MQB-B and MQB-E can go back up to three months before the month you apply, if you qualified then.
Will NC Medicaid take my house to pay back MQB help?
No. Federal law (42 U.S.C. 1396p(b)(1)(B)(ii)) excludes Medicare cost-sharing help from estate recovery, and North Carolina's estate recovery law, G.S. 108A-70.5, targets long-term care, home and community services and related care. Help from MQB alone isn't recovered from your estate.
Will MQB put me in an NC Medicaid health plan?
No. Under G.S. 108D-40, people whose Medicaid only pays Medicare premiums and cost sharing are excluded from NC Medicaid's managed care health plans. MQB-only members stay in NC Medicaid Direct.
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