Medicare Savings Programs: 2026 Income Limits for QMB, SLMB, and QI

1What are the Medicare Savings Program income limits for 2026?

CMS set the 2026 resource limits for QMB, SLMB, and QI at $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a married couple, effective January 1, 2026. The QDWI limits stay at $4,000 and $6,000. (CMS, 2026 MSP Resource Standards bulletin)

These limits go up each year. Medicare.gov says you may still qualify in your state even if your income or resources are higher than these federal limits, because some states do not count certain types or amounts of income or resources. (Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs)

2What does each Medicare Savings Program pay for?

Medicare is the health insurance. A Medicare Savings Program is help from your state paying Medicare's costs. (Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs)

The Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program helps pay Part A premiums if you do not have premium-free Part A, plus Part B premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. With QMB, Medicare providers are not allowed to bill you for services and items Medicare covers. (Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs)

The Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) and Qualifying Individual (QI) programs help pay Part B premiums only, and you must have both Part A and Part B. QI is first come, first served, gives priority to people who had it the previous year, and you must apply every year to stay in it. (Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs)

You get Extra Help automatically if your state pays your Part B premium through an MSP. (Medicare.gov, Help with drug costs) With an MSP, the most you pay in 2026 is $5.10 for each generic drug and $12.65 for each brand-name drug your plan covers (CMS maximums, estimated until your plan confirms). People who also have full Medicaid and income at or below 100 percent of poverty have lower maximums. (Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs) (CMS, CY 2026 LIS memo, Table 2)

3What are the Massachusetts limits?

In Massachusetts, MSPs are run by MassHealth and were formerly called the MassHealth Senior Buy-In and Buy-In programs. (MassHealth, MSP FAQ) You may be able to get QMB with monthly household income at or below 190 percent of the federal poverty level, and SLMB or QI above that, up to 225 percent. Massachusetts limits change each year on March 1. (Mass.gov, Get help paying Medicare costs)

These are the published 2026 limits before any income disregards. (Mass.gov, 2026 MassHealth Income Standards) Massachusetts groups SLMB and QI together under one ceiling. (Mass.gov, Get help paying Medicare costs)

There is no asset test for any MSP benefit in Massachusetts. (MassHealth, MSP FAQ) MassHealth's financial guidelines say there has been no asset limit for MSPs since March 1, 2024. (Mass.gov, Program financial guidelines) You do not need to be on MassHealth to apply. (Mass.gov, Get help paying Medicare costs)

MassHealth pays the Part B premium for QMB, SLMB, and QI members, and for QMB it also pays some copays, deductibles, and the Part A premium if you have one. Members are also enrolled in the Health Safety Net and in Part D Extra Help. (Mass.gov, Get help paying Medicare costs) Enrolling in an MSP also lets you sign up for Part B at any point in the year without a late penalty, and estate recovery does not apply to MSPs. (MassHealth, MSP FAQ)

4What are the Minnesota limits?

Minnesota's programs are QMB, which pays Medicare premiums, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance; Service Limited Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) and Qualified Individual (QI), which pay Part B premiums; and Qualified Working Disabled (QWD), which pays Part A premiums if you cannot get free Part A. (Minnesota DHS, DHS-3182)

These are official DHS limits, which DHS describes as approximate. Its chart says: "Income guidelines are approximations only. Use these charts for general reference." (Minnesota DHS, DHS-3182)

Minnesota's DHS-3461A says a standard $20 disregard is included for QMB, SLMB, QI, and QWD, which means the first $20 of your monthly income is not counted toward these Minnesota limits. (Minnesota DHS, DHS-3461A)

The asset limit is $10,000 for a single person and $18,000 for a family of two or more, except for QWD, where it is $4,000 and $6,000. (Minnesota DHS, DHS-3182) Usually the home you live in and a car do not count. (Minnesota DHS, Help with Medicare costs) Minnesota's current limits are effective July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. (Minnesota DHS, DHS-3182)

5What are the Texas limits?

Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) runs Medicare Savings Programs under its Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities Handbook, and Texas uses the federal limits. (Texas HHS, MEPD Handbook Appendix IX) (Texas HHS, MEPD and TW Bulletin 26-04) Texas publishes its income limits without the $20 general income disregard, which is why they read $20 lower than Medicare.gov's: Texas's $1,330 for QMB and Medicare.gov's $1,350 are the same limit, before and after the $20. (Texas HHS, MEPD Handbook Appendix IX) (Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs)

Texas does not count a Texas homestead you live in, a car, burial spaces, life insurance with a face value of $1,500 or less, or separately identifiable burial funds of $1,500. (Texas HHS, MEPD Handbook Appendix IX) Texas updates its resource limits each January. (Texas HHS, MEPD Handbook Q-1300) QI-1 is only for people who are not otherwise receiving Medicaid. (Texas HHS, MEPD Handbook Appendix IX)

You can apply with Form H1200-EZ, Application for Assistance, Aged and Disabled, which Texas uses for Medicare Savings Programs, or online at YourTexasBenefits.com. (Texas HHS, MEPD Handbook B-3100) (Texas HHS, Form H1200-EZ) (Texas HHS, MEPD Handbook Appendix LI) For free Medicare counseling, call the Texas Medicare Help Line at 800-252-9240. (Texas HHS, Medicare help) See also our Texas Medicaid income limits guide.

You submit your application yourself on the official site. Benefit Bull is free and never files for you.

6What are the Indiana limits?

Indiana calls Medicare Savings Programs Medicare Buy-In, and applications are processed by FSSA's Division of Family Resources (DFR). (Indiana SHIP, Help paying for your Medicare costs) Indiana's income limits are higher than the federal ones: QMB is based on 150 percent of the federal poverty level, SLMB on 170 percent, and QI on 185 percent, compared with 100, 120, and 135 percent at the federal level. (Indiana FSSA, IHCPPM Chapter 3000) (Indiana FSSA, IHCPPM 1610.45.10)

These are net income standards. Indiana applies a $20 general income disregard on top, plus a $65 and one half earned income disregard if you work. (Indiana FSSA, IHCPPM Chapter 3000) (Indiana FSSA, IHCPPM 1610.45.10) Indiana SHIP's chart adds the $20 in, so it shows $2,015 a month for QMB, $2,281 for SLMB, and $2,481 for QI for one person. (Indiana SHIP, Help paying for your Medicare costs)

The resource limit for QMB, SLMB, QI, and QDW is $9,950 for a single person and $14,910 for a couple living together, effective January 1, 2026. (Indiana FSSA, IHCPPM Chapter 3000) SHIP says your home and furnishings, your car, burial plots, and at least $1,500 in life insurance do not count toward the asset limit. (Indiana SHIP, Help paying for your Medicare costs) Indiana ignores the Social Security cost of living increase that starts each January until the new poverty figures take effect on March 1. (Indiana FSSA, IHCPPM 1610.45.10)

QI pays Part B premiums only, and QI members cannot also have full Medicaid. (Indiana FSSA, IHCPPM 1610.45.10) Indiana SHIP says approval for any of these programs makes you automatically eligible for Extra Help. (Indiana SHIP, Help paying for your Medicare costs)

To apply, visit or call your local DFR office (DFR: 1-800-403-0864). You complete an application form and an interview, in person or by phone. (Indiana SHIP, Help paying for your Medicare costs) (Indiana Medicaid, Apply for Medicaid) For free help, call Indiana SHIP at (800) 452-4800. (Indiana SHIP, Help paying for your Medicare costs) See also our Indiana Medicaid income limits guide.

You submit your application yourself on the official site. Benefit Bull is free and never files for you.

7What are the Kentucky limits?

Kentucky uses the federal floor. Kentucky Medicaid, through the Department for Medicaid Services, runs the program for people with Medicare who are not entitled to the full Medicaid benefit package. (Kentucky CHFS, Medicare Savings Program page) The QMB limit is about $1,330 a month for one person (2026 limit; the first $20 of income is not counted). (Kentucky CHFS, MAP-16 fact sheet) (Kentucky CHFS, Medicare Savings Program page)

The resource limit is $9,950 for one person or $14,910 for a couple. Kentucky's MSP page says resources of $9,950 or less ($14,910 or less for a couple), while its MAP-16 fact sheet says below those amounts, so ask DCBS if you are right at the line. (Kentucky CHFS, Medicare Savings Program page) (Kentucky CHFS, MAP-16 fact sheet) Kentucky gives the home you live in, the vehicle you drive, and up to $1,500 for burial expenses or life insurance as examples of resources that may be excluded. (Kentucky CHFS, Medicare Savings Program page) You must have Medicare Part A. (Kentucky CHFS, Medicare Savings Program page)

To apply, download an application from the DMS Medicare Savings Program page, visit your local Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) office, call DCBS at 1-855-306-8959, or apply at kynect.ky.gov. kynect's number is 1-855-459-6328. (Kentucky CHFS, MAP-15) Gather your Medicare card, proof of citizenship and identity, proof of all income, current and prior 3 months of bank statements, insurance policies, statements for any stocks or bonds, and proof of any funeral or burial policies. If you do not have this information now, Kentucky says you can get it later. (Kentucky CHFS, MAP-15)

You submit your application yourself on the official site. Benefit Bull is free and never files for you.

8How do you apply for a Medicare Savings Program?

You apply for Medicare Savings Programs through your state, and Medicare.gov encourages you to apply even if you are unsure. (Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs) If you apply for Extra Help through Social Security, Social Security will send information to your state to start an MSP application unless you tell them not to on the Extra Help application. (Medicare.gov, Help with drug costs) Texas, Indiana, and Kentucky routes are in each state's section above.

In Massachusetts

MassHealth offers a short Medicare Savings Programs Application, which you can fill out as an online fillable PDF or by mail. You must include a valid email address, and you must complete it in one sitting. (Mass.gov, Get help paying Medicare costs) There are three ways in: (MassHealth, MSP FAQ)

1. The MSP application, if you only want help with Medicare costs.
2. The SACA-2, if you are 65 or older or need long-term care, which covers any MassHealth program including MSPs.
3. The ACA-3, if you are under 65 or caring for a child under 19.

For help, call MassHealth Customer Service at (800) 841-2900, TDD/TTY 711, or a SHINE counselor at (800) 243-4636. (Mass.gov, Get help paying Medicare costs)

In Minnesota

If you are only asking for help with Medicare costs, Minnesota directs you to the Minnesota Health Care Programs Application for Certain Populations (DHS-3876). (Minnesota DHS, DHS-3182) This application is not available online. Download the form from Minnesota DHS, then mail or bring the paper form to your county or Tribal agency. (Minnesota DHS, Apply for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare) Use it only if everyone applying fits one of the groups it covers; if other people in your household need coverage too, Minnesota says to use its main application (DHS-6696) instead, which you can file online or on paper. (Minnesota DHS, Apply for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare)

Your county or Tribal office reviews the application to see if you may qualify for both Medical Assistance and a Medicare Savings Program. There is no cost for Medicare Savings Programs. For help, call Minnesota Aging Pathways at 800-333-2433. (Minnesota DHS, Help with Medicare costs)

You submit your application yourself on the official site. Benefit Bull is free and never files for you.

9How long does approval take?

In Minnesota, Medicare Savings Programs coverage usually starts the month the state gets your application, and some people may get Part B premiums paid going back three months from that date. When your coverage starts, Social Security stops taking Medicare premiums out of your monthly Social Security check. (Minnesota DHS, Help with Medicare costs)

QI is first come, first served, gives priority to people who had it the previous year, and you must apply every year to stay in it. (Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs)

The MassHealth pages we opened do not publish a processing time for MSP applications. Ask MassHealth Customer Service at (800) 841-2900 about your application. (Mass.gov, Get help paying Medicare costs)

In Indiana, SHIP says you will receive a notice in the mail within 45 days telling you whether your application was approved. (Indiana SHIP, Help paying for your Medicare costs)

10What should you do if your letter says help is ending?

Part B premium help from a Medicare Savings Program is your state paying your Medicare premium, which Social Security calls state buy-in. Social Security lists the ways state buy-in can end, including loss of eligibility in a coverage group. (Social Security, POMS HI 00815.042) We cannot tell from the outside why a particular letter was sent. The letter and your state MSP office can.

Here is what Social Security says happens next. Your Medicare coverage generally continues, but you become responsible for the premium. If you get Social Security benefits, the Part B premium is taken out of your monthly payment again. Because of a lag of up to two months, Social Security may take out up to three months of Part B premiums at once. If you do not get a monthly benefit, CMS mails you a bill (Form CMS-500). (Social Security, POMS HI 00815.042)

If you cannot afford that catch-up amount, Social Security describes two options, and you can use both: ask for a waiver with Form SSA-632-BK, or ask your local Social Security office for an installment plan. (Social Security, POMS HI 00815.042)

1. Read the letter for the reason and any deadline, then call the number on it the same week.
2. If you are on QI, remember that QI must be renewed every year. (Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs)
3. If you think the decision is wrong in Massachusetts, MassHealth notices explain how to ask for a fair hearing and how much time you have. Questions go to (800) 841-2900, TDD/TTY 711. (MassHealth, Member Booklet)
4. In Indiana, if your application is denied, you have the right to appeal within 30 days of the denial. (Indiana SHIP, Help paying for your Medicare costs)
5. If your circumstances changed, you can apply again. In Minnesota, Aging Pathways at 800-333-2433 can help. (Minnesota DHS, Help with Medicare costs)
6. Check your Extra Help. A grey notice from Medicare, mailed in September, means you will no longer get Extra Help automatically next year. Medicare says to apply for Extra Help through Social Security or a Medicaid office. (Medicare.gov, Loss of Deemed Status Notice) You can reapply any time your income and resources change. (Medicare.gov, Help with drug costs)

Free, unbiased help is available from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which Medicare.gov points to for help applying. (Medicare.gov, Help with drug costs) In Massachusetts, that is SHINE, at (800) 243-4636. (Mass.gov, Get help paying Medicare costs)