Tennessee Medicare Savings Program: TennCare Connect 2026

This guide explains Tennessee Medicare Savings Program eligibility, 2026 screening limits, resource rules, documents and application methods. You may apply online through TennCare Connect, complete an application by phone, or submit the official paper form by mail or fax.

For a general introduction, visit our Medicare Savings Programs educational resource. State rules can differ significantly. For example, the latest state guide explains why the Washington Medicare Savings Program does not use an asset test, while Tennessee generally applies federal MSP resource limits.

What Do Tennessee Medicare Savings Programs Pay?

TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid agency, administers four Medicare cost-sharing programs. The level of help depends on the category for which TennCare finds you eligible.

TennCare’s official eligibility categories page describes each Tennessee Medicare cost-sharing program.

Tennessee Medicare Savings Program Income Limits for 2026

The following table uses Medicare and Medicaid’s federal 2026 screening figures for the 48 contiguous states, including Tennessee. These amounts include standard federal income exclusions used in the published screening chart.

These are screening figures, not guaranteed eligibility cutoffs based only on gross income. TennCare calculates countable income and applies the program’s deductions, disregards and household rules.

Someone whose gross income appears slightly higher may still qualify after allowable exclusions are applied. Do not reject yourself based only on the amount deposited into your bank account.

Review the official 2026 Medicare Savings Program limits and our broader explanation of Medicare Savings Program income limits.

Why TennCare and Medicare Charts May Look Different

TennCare describes its MSP categories as percentages of the federal poverty level:

• QMB: income at or below 100% of the federal poverty level.
• SLMB: income from at least 100% to below 120% of the federal poverty level.
• QI-1: income from at least 120% to below 135% of the federal poverty level.
• QDWI: income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, with additional earned-income exclusions relevant to the federal screening figure.

Medicare’s public screening chart includes the standard $20 monthly income disregard. The QDWI screening amount also reflects additional earned-income exclusions. A state table that displays underlying poverty-level amounts may therefore look lower than Medicare’s screening chart.

The safest approach is to apply and let TennCare calculate your countable income under the rules that apply to your household.

What Are the Tennessee MSP Resource Limits?

Unlike some states, Tennessee generally uses a resource test for Medicare Savings Programs.

For QMB, SLMB and QI-1, the 2026 federal resource limits are:

• $9,950 for one person.
• $14,910 for a married couple.

For QDWI, the limits are:

• $4,000 for one person.
• $6,000 for a married couple.

Countable resources commonly include money in checking and savings accounts, stocks, bonds and certain other property that can be converted to cash.

Items that generally are not counted under federal MSP screening rules include:

• The home where you live.
• One vehicle.
• Household and personal items.
• A burial plot.
• Certain burial funds and life-insurance arrangements, depending on the applicable rules.

Resource treatment can become complicated when property is jointly owned, inaccessible, intended for burial expenses or connected to another person. Report the requested information and let TennCare determine what is countable.

Read our detailed guide to Medicare Savings Program resource limits.

Who May Qualify for a Tennessee Medicare Savings Program?

You may qualify if you:

• Live in Tennessee.
• Are entitled to Medicare Part A or meet the Medicare requirement for the specific MSP category.
• Meet the program’s countable-income standard.
• Meet the applicable resource limit.
• Meet citizenship or qualified immigration-status requirements.
• Provide enough information for TennCare to make an eligibility decision.

For SLMB and QI-1, a person generally must have both Medicare Part A and Part B. QI-1 cannot generally be combined with another Medicaid eligibility category and is funded on an annual basis.

A spouse’s income and resources may be considered when the applicant is married and living with their spouse. Different budgeting rules can apply to other household arrangements.

Our guide to who qualifies for a Medicare Savings Program explains the common federal requirements.

Are Tennessee MSP rules statewide?

Yes. TennCare administers the same MSP eligibility categories throughout Tennessee. A resident does not receive a different income limit merely because they live in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga or a rural county.

Local offices may provide application help, but TennCare applies the statewide eligibility rules and makes the final decision.

How to Apply Online Through TennCare Connect

The main online application option is the official TennCare Connect portal.

Through TennCare Connect, you can generally:

• Start and submit an application.
• Return to an unfinished application.
• Upload requested documents.
• Check the status of a submission.
• Read TennCare letters.
• Report household changes.
• Complete a renewal when requested.

The portal is available through a computer or mobile browser. TennCare also provides a mobile app for account management and document uploads.

TennCare Connect application steps

1. Open TennCare Connect.
2. Create an account or sign in to an existing account.
3. Enter the requested identity and contact information.
4. Choose the option to apply for health coverage or help paying health costs.
5. Report that you have or are entitled to Medicare.
6. Enter the requested household, income, resource and insurance information.
7. When asked whether you need help paying Medicare costs, select Yes.
8. Review the application carefully.
9. Submit the application.
10. Save the confirmation number or take a screenshot of the final confirmation page.

In an additional-information field, you may write:

You do not need to identify the correct MSP category yourself. TennCare should evaluate your information under the programs that may apply.

Creating an account is not the same as applying

A TennCare Connect login gives you access to the portal, but it does not complete an MSP application.

Continue through the application questions until you receive a confirmation. If you already have a TennCare case, sign in to your existing account and link the case when possible.

If an existing case or previous letters do not appear, call TennCare Connect at 855-259-0701 rather than creating several accounts.

Uploading information through TennCare Connect

If TennCare requests proof, use the document-upload feature connected to your case.

Before uploading an image:

• Make sure all four corners of the document are visible.
• Check that names, dates and dollar amounts are readable.
• Upload every page of a multi-page document.
• Keep the original document.
• Save the upload confirmation when available.

Send the documents TennCare requests. Include any cover page, barcode or case information shown on the verification notice.

How to Apply by Phone

Call TennCare Connect at:

855-259-0701

Tell the representative:

A TennCare Connect representative can complete an application with you by phone or explain what information TennCare still needs.

Have basic information available about your:

• Medicare coverage.
• Household members.
• Social Security, pension, employment and other income.
• Bank accounts and other resources.
• Current health insurance.

You do not need to assemble an oversized document package before calling. TennCare can send a written request explaining the proof needed for your case.

Hearing, speech and language assistance

For Tennessee Relay Service assistance, call:

1-800-848-0298

Ask the relay service to connect you with TennCare Connect at 855-259-0701.

Free language assistance is available. When a representative answers, state the language you need.

How to Apply With the TennCare Paper Application

Tennessee uses the Application for Health Coverage & Help Paying Costs for Medicare Savings Program applications.

Download the current official form:

• English TennCare paper application
• Spanish TennCare paper application
• Official TennCare application instructions

The form states that it can be used to request help paying Medicare costs and to apply for a Medicare Savings Program such as QMB or SLMB.

Completing the paper form

Use black or dark-blue ink and write clearly.

1. Enter the requested household and contact information.
2. Report that you have or are entitled to Medicare.
3. Select the option requesting help with Medicare costs.
4. Complete the income and resource questions.
5. Read the rights and responsibilities section.
6. Sign and date the application.

An unsigned application can delay the eligibility decision. Review every signature field before mailing or faxing the form.

Where to Mail or Fax the TennCare Application

Mail the application

The current official paper application lists:

Before mailing:

• Confirm the address on the current official form.
• Sign and date the application.
• Keep a complete copy.
• Send copies of supporting documents rather than your only originals.
• Consider using a mailing method that provides tracking or proof of delivery.

Fax the application

The current TennCare application fax number is:

855-315-0669

Confirm the number on the current application before sending. Fax every page, including the signature page, and keep the page showing that the transmission was successful.

Check that:

1. The confirmation shows the correct fax number.
2. The number of transmitted pages matches your application.
3. The transmission status says successful or completed.

Do not immediately mail a duplicate application after faxing unless TennCare instructs you to do so. Duplicate submissions can make it harder to identify which application is being processed.

Send the application even if one item is missing

TennCare’s paper form instructs applicants to sign and submit the application even when they do not have every requested fact or document.

After TennCare receives the application, it may send a letter explaining what information is still needed. The letter may include a cover page that should be returned with the requested proof.

Submitting the initial application as completely as possible can preserve the filing date. Respond promptly to all follow-up requests.

Where Can You Get In-Person Application Help?

Local Department of Health office

TennCare directs people who need in-person application help to local Tennessee Department of Health offices.

Use the Tennessee local and regional health department directory to find an office.

Call before visiting. Ask whether staff at that location can help complete or submit a TennCare Medicare Savings Program application.

Local Department of Human Services office

TennCare’s application also identifies local Department of Human Services offices as an application-help option.

Use the Tennessee DHS office locator.

Outside Nashville: 1-866-311-4287
Nashville: 1-615-313-4700

Before travelling, explain that you need help with a TennCare Medicare Savings Program application, not only SNAP or another DHS benefit.

What Information and Documents Should You Prepare?

You may be asked for information about:

• Your Medicare coverage.
• Your identity and Tennessee residence.
• Social Security, pension, wages, self-employment or other income.
• Bank accounts, investments and other potentially countable resources.
• Your spouse’s income and resources when applicable.
• Other health insurance.
• Citizenship or qualified immigration-status information when required.

Helpful documents may include:

• Medicare card.
• Social Security benefit letter.
• Pension or annuity statements.
• Recent pay stubs.
• Bank statements.
• Investment statements.
• Life-insurance information if TennCare requests it.
• Recent TennCare, Medicare or Social Security notices.

The exact proof depends on your circumstances and what TennCare can verify electronically. Submit the initial application and then follow the instructions in the verification letter.

What Happens After You Apply?

TennCare reviews the application and may request additional information.

While the application is pending:

• Check your mail regularly.
• Read every TennCare notice.
• Check your TennCare Connect account.
• Respond by the deadline shown in each letter.
• Use the supplied cover page when returning proof.
• Keep copies and submission confirmations.

TennCare Connect may show a submission as:

• Submitted.
• Information Needed.
• Review in Progress.
• Processed.

TennCare says an eligibility decision may sometimes be available quickly but can take up to 45 days. That timeframe is not guaranteed. Missing information, verification problems or other case-specific issues can affect processing.

After completing its review, TennCare will send a written notice explaining whether you qualify and when coverage begins.

When Will the Part B Deduction Stop?

Approval does not always stop the Medicare Part B deduction in the next Social Security payment.

TennCare must report the approval through the Medicare buy-in process. Medicare and Social Security then update their records. This can take additional time after the TennCare eligibility decision.

If premiums were deducted for months that TennCare later covers, a beneficiary may receive a refund after the state and federal systems reconcile the account. A refund, amount and delivery date are not guaranteed.

Keep your:

• TennCare approval notice.
• Social Security payment records.
• Medicare premium notices.
• Bank statements showing continued premium deductions.

Contact TennCare Connect or Tennessee SHIP if deductions continue longer than expected.

Can Tennessee MSP coverage be retroactive?

Do not assume that all four MSP categories use the same effective-date rule.

QMB protection is generally prospective rather than being applied to months before QMB eligibility begins. Other MSP categories may use different retroactive rules when the applicant met all requirements during the earlier months.

The TennCare eligibility notice should identify the approved category and effective date. Ask TennCare Connect specifically whether any prior months were approved and whether Medicare premiums paid for those months will be adjusted.

How Do You Renew a Tennessee Medicare Savings Program?

TennCare reviews eligibility periodically. When it is time to renew, TennCare may first try to renew coverage using information already available to the agency.

If TennCare can complete the renewal automatically, you should receive a letter stating that coverage will continue.

If more information is needed, TennCare will send a renewal packet or direct you to your TennCare Connect account.

You may generally complete a renewal by:

• Signing in to TennCare Connect.
• Returning the renewal packet as instructed.
• Calling TennCare Connect at 855-259-0701 for help.
• Providing the requested proof by the notice deadline.

Review all prefilled information and report changes in income, household, address, Medicare coverage and resources.

QI-1 beneficiaries should pay particular attention to annual renewal because QI is funded annually and beneficiaries generally must reapply each year.

Read the official TennCare renewal-packet guidance and our Medicare Savings Program renewal guide.

What Should You Do if TennCare Denies the Application?

Read the complete denial notice before filing a new application. The notice should explain the reason for the decision and your right to challenge it.

Common issues can include:

• Missing verification.
• Income counted incorrectly.
• An incorrect household or marital-status entry.
• Resources valued incorrectly.
• A document that was submitted but not matched to the case.
• An application that was not fully submitted.

Take these steps:

1. Identify the exact denial reason. Compare it with the information and documents you submitted.
2. Call TennCare Connect. Ask for an explanation of the income and resource calculation.
3. Submit missing or corrected proof. Use the case cover page or upload option associated with your notice.
4. Request an appeal when appropriate. Follow the method and deadline stated on the current eligibility notice.
5. Keep proof. Save appeal confirmations, fax receipts, mailing records and copies of all documents.

Our guide to a denied Medicare Savings Program application explains common correction and appeal steps.

What if You Have QMB and Receive a Medical Bill?

Federal law prohibits Medicare providers and suppliers from billing a QMB beneficiary for Medicare Part A or Part B deductibles, coinsurance and copayments for Medicare-covered items and services.

If you receive a bill:

1. Do not ignore it.
2. Check that QMB was active on the date of service.
3. Check whether Medicare covered the service.
4. Tell the provider’s billing office that you have QMB.
5. Show your Medicare card and available TennCare or QMB information.
6. Ask the office to correct the account and stop collection activity for protected Medicare cost sharing.
7. Call Medicare or Tennessee SHIP if billing continues.

1-800-MEDICARE: 1-800-633-4227
Medicare TTY: 1-877-486-2048

A person who already paid prohibited QMB cost sharing may be entitled to a billing correction or refund from the provider.

QMB does not make every service free. You may still owe for non-covered care, permitted prescription charges or services that Medicare properly denied.

Review the official CMS QMB billing-protection guidance and our QMB Medicare Savings Program guide.

Does Tennessee MSP Approval Include Part D Extra Help?

People approved for QMB, SLMB or QI-1 generally receive Medicare Part D Extra Help automatically.

In 2026, standard Extra Help assistance can include:

• A $0 Part D deductible.
• A $0 premium for a qualifying plan priced at or below the applicable benchmark amount.
• Copays of no more than $5.10 for a covered generic drug.
• Copays of no more than $12.65 for a covered brand-name drug.
• $0 for covered drugs after total drug costs reach $2,100 in 2026.

A person with full Medicaid and QMB may have a lower maximum prescription copay. Exact costs depend on Medicaid status, the drug and the selected Part D plan.

A plan priced above the Extra Help benchmark may still charge part of its premium.

QDWI by itself should not be assumed to provide automatic Extra Help. Ask Tennessee SHIP or Social Security whether a separate Extra Help application is appropriate.

Review the official Medicare Extra Help costs for 2026.

Can an Extra Help application start an MSP review?

Yes. When a person applies for Medicare Part D Extra Help through Social Security, application information can be sent to the state to start the Medicare Savings Program application process unless the applicant asks Social Security not to send it.

Do not assume that this transfer has already resolved a Part B premium issue. Watch for a TennCare notice and respond to any request for additional information.

If you have not received a TennCare decision, apply directly through TennCare Connect or call 855-259-0701.

Is MSP-Only Coverage the Same as Full TennCare?

No. A Medicare Savings Program is administered through Medicaid, but MSP-only approval does not always provide Tennessee’s full Medicaid benefit package.

If you also need nursing-home care, personal assistance at home or another long-term service, mention that separately and contact the Area Agency on Aging and Disability.

Our Medicare Savings Program versus Medicaid guide explains the distinction.

Does Tennessee Estate Recovery Apply to MSP-Only Benefits?

Tennessee’s public estate-recovery guidance focuses on certain long-term care benefits received through CHOICES Groups 1, 2 or 3 by people age 55 or older.

MSP-only premium or cost-sharing assistance is not the same as CHOICES long-term care coverage. However, someone who receives an MSP together with long-term services or another TennCare category should not assume that all benefits are outside estate recovery.

Review the official TennCare estate-recovery guidance for the coverage you receive.

Where Can You Get Free Official Help?

Tennessee SHIP provides free, unbiased and confidential Medicare counseling to beneficiaries, family members and caregivers. SHIP counselors do not sell insurance plans.

A SHIP counselor may help explain:

• The difference between QMB, SLMB and QI-1.
• What a TennCare approval notice means.
• Why a Part B premium is still being deducted.
• QMB billing protections.
• Extra Help with prescription drug costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I apply online for Tennessee MSP?

Apply through the official TennCare Connect portal. You can submit an application, upload requested information, read notices and track the status of your submission.

Can I apply for a Tennessee Medicare Savings Program by phone?

Yes. Call TennCare Connect at 855-259-0701 and say that you want to apply for help paying Medicare costs.

Which Tennessee paper form should I use?

Use Tennessee’s Application for Health Coverage & Help Paying Costs. The form can be used to request Medicare Savings Program assistance such as QMB or SLMB.

Where do I mail the TennCare application?

The current paper form lists TennCare Connect, P.O. Box 305240, Nashville, TN 37230-5240. Confirm the address on the official form immediately before mailing.

Can I fax the TennCare application?

Yes. The current application lists fax number 855-315-0669. Confirm the number on the official form and keep the successful transmission page.

Does Tennessee MSP pay the Medicare Part B premium?

QMB, SLMB and QI-1 can pay the Medicare Part B premium for eligible applicants. QMB may also pay Medicare-covered deductibles, coinsurance and copayments.

How much is the Medicare Part B premium in 2026?

The standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 per month in 2026. Some beneficiaries pay a different amount because of an income-related adjustment or late-enrollment penalty.

Will my Social Security payment increase after MSP approval?

It may. If TennCare begins paying a Part B premium that was being deducted from Social Security, the deduction should stop after state and federal systems update. The timing of the change is not guaranteed.

Should I apply if my income is slightly above the chart?

Yes. TennCare calculates countable income and may exclude certain income under MSP rules. Let TennCare make the official eligibility decision.

Is QMB the same as full TennCare?

Not always. A person may receive QMB assistance with Medicare premiums and cost sharing without receiving Tennessee’s full Medicaid benefit package.

Who can help me for free?

Call TennCare Connect at 855-259-0701, Tennessee SHIP at 1-877-801-0044, or the Area Agency on Aging and Disability at 1-866-836-6678.

Conclusion

Start through TennCare Connect if you are comfortable applying online. The portal lets you submit an application, upload requested documents, review letters and track your case.

For personal assistance, call TennCare Connect at 855-259-0701. You may also submit the current official paper form by mail or fax or seek in-person help through a local Department of Health or Department of Human Services office.

Do not avoid applying merely because your income is close to a screening limit or one document is unavailable. TennCare, not the applicant, makes the final countable-income and resource determination.

An approval may stop the monthly Part B deduction, protect a QMB beneficiary from improper Medicare cost-sharing bills and provide automatic Extra Help with prescription drug costs.

Editorial disclaimer: This article provides general educational information and is not legal, financial or benefits advice. Income standards, resource limits, forms and contact information may change. Check the current official TennCare form, website and eligibility notice before acting. TennCare makes the final eligibility decision.