State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Release 26-02 April 15, 2026

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32.7 Medicare Beneficiaries Begin Dates

32.7.1 QMB Begin Dates

For initial eligibility, QMBQualified Medicare Beneficiary benefits begin on the first of the month after the month in which the person is determined to be eligible, and the case is confirmed in CARES.

Example 1

Henry has been in the same nursing home since 2013. He applied for Medicaid on January 23, 2017, and also requested QMB. His application was processed and confirmed for both programs on January 23, 2017, and he was determined eligible for both. His Medicaid begin date is January 1, 2017. His QMB begin date is February 1, 2017.

32.7.2 SLMB, SLMB+, QDWI Begin Dates

SLMBSpecified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary, SLMB+Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary Plus, and QDWIQualified Disabled and Working Individual benefits begin the first day of the month in which the valid application is submitted and all eligibility requirements are met.  Eligibility for these programs may be backdated to the first of the month, up to three calendar months prior to the month of application (see Section 32.8.2 SLMB, SLMB+, and QDWI Backdating).

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The information concerning the Medicaid program provided in this handbook release is published in accordance with: Titles XI and XIX of the Social Security Act; Parts 430 through 481 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations; Chapters 46 and 49 of the Wisconsin Statutes; and Chapters HA 3, DHS 2, 10 and 101 through 109 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.

Notice: The content within this manual is the sole responsibility of the State of Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (DHS). This site will link to sites outside of DHS where appropriate. DHS is in no way responsible for the content of sites outside of DHS.

Publication Number: P-10030