Money & Benefits · Tracker
Medicare Savings Programs: 2026 income limits
Four state-run programs pay Medicare premiums, and one of them pays the deductibles and copayments too. The 2026 income and resource limits for each, and what each one covers.
Last verified · refreshed on-event
The standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, taken straight out of most Social Security payments. For people close to the income limits below, a state can pay it instead. That is worth $2,434.80 a year before anything else, and the program that does it is called a Medicare Savings Program.
There are four, they are run by states rather than by Medicare, and they are not the same thing as Medicaid. The one worth knowing first is QMB, the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program, because it does not stop at the premium. It also covers Part A and Part B deductibles, coinsurance and copayments, and providers are not allowed to bill a QMB enrolee for anything Medicare covers. The other three are narrower: SLMB and QI pay the Part B premium only, and QDWI exists for a specific group, people who lost premium-free Part A because they went back to work after a disability.
The limits are federal minimums, not the last word. Medicare says plainly that you may still qualify in your state above these figures, because some states do not count certain kinds or amounts of income and resources. Alaska and Hawaii run slightly higher limits. That is the reason the advice on this page is to apply even when the arithmetic says no: the state decides, not the table.
Enrolling in any of QMB, SLMB or QI also brings Extra Help with prescription drugs automatically, which caps what you pay at the pharmacy at $5.10 for a generic and $12.65 for a brand-name drug, and takes it to zero once total drug costs reach $2,100 for the year. Extra Help has its own wider limits, so it is worth applying for separately if a Savings Program is out of reach: $23,940 of income and $18,090 in resources for an individual, $32,460 and $36,100 for a married couple.
Applications go to the state, not to Medicare. Who to contact at Medicare covers which office handles what, open enrollment is explained here, and the Medicare figures tracker carries the premiums and deductibles these programs pay.
Swipe sideways to see every column.
| Program | What it pays | Monthly income, single | Monthly income, couple | Resources, single | Resources, couple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QMB, Qualified Medicare Beneficiary | Part A and Part B premiums, plus deductibles, coinsurance and copayments. Providers cannot bill you for what Medicare covers | $1,350 | $1,824 | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| SLMB, Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary | Part B premiums. You must have both Part A and Part B | $1,616 | $2,184 | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| QI, Qualifying Individual | Part B premiums. You must reapply every year, and places are first come, first served | $1,816 | $2,455 | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| QDWI, Qualified Disabled and Working Individual | Part A premiums only, for people who lost premium-free Part A on returning to work after a disability | $5,405 | $7,299 | $4,000 | $6,000 |
What to do
- Apply through your state even if your income or resources look too high. The federal figures here are minimums and states may disregard some of what you have. Official link
- If you are in QMB and a provider bills you for something Medicare covers, that billing is not allowed. Show the Medicare Summary Notice that proves your QMB status.
- If a Savings Program is out of reach, apply for Extra Help separately. Its limits are much wider, at $23,940 of income for an individual. Official link
- If you are in the QI program, put a reminder on your calendar to reapply. It is the only one of the four that has to be renewed every year, and places go first come, first served.
- For free help with the application, call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program. The counselling is free and nobody there is selling anything. Official link
Questions readers ask
- What is the income limit for a Medicare Savings Program in 2026?
- It depends which of the four you are applying for. QMB, the widest, is $1,350 a month for an individual and $1,824 for a married couple. SLMB is $1,616 and $2,184. QI is $1,816 and $2,455. QDWI, which is only for people who returned to work after a disability, is $5,405 and $7,299. Alaska and Hawaii are slightly higher.
- What is the resource limit, and does my house count?
- For QMB, SLMB and QI the resource limit in 2026 is $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a married couple. QDWI is lower, at $4,000 and $6,000. Resources mean things like money in the bank, stocks and bonds. Your home and your car are not counted.
- What is the difference between QMB and SLMB?
- QMB pays the Part B premium and also the deductibles, coinsurance and copayments, and providers are barred from billing a QMB enrolee for anything Medicare covers. SLMB pays the Part B premium and nothing else. QMB has the lower income limit of the two, so the program that gives most is the hardest to qualify for.
- Do I get help with prescriptions as well?
- Yes, automatically. Anyone enrolled in QMB, SLMB or QI also gets Extra Help with Medicare drug coverage, which caps the pharmacy price at $5.10 for a generic and $12.65 for a brand-name drug in 2026, and takes it to zero once total drug costs reach $2,100. Extra Help also removes the Part D late enrollment penalty.
- Where do I apply?
- Through your state, which runs the programs and decides the application. Medicare itself does not take these applications, though 1-800-MEDICARE can point you to the right state office. When you apply, the state works out which of the four you qualify for, so you do not have to pick one.
- Should I apply if I am slightly over the limit?
- Yes. Medicare states that people may still qualify in their state above the federal figures, because some states do not count certain types or amounts of income and resources. The published limits are a floor that every state must at least meet, not a ceiling that every state applies.
Background: Medicare open enrollment 2026: dates, and what you can change
Mentioned:Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesMedicare
How we reported this
Built from the documents in the Source Card. Opened on September 9, 2026 with the 2026 limits for all four programs.
This page reports figures and dates from the agency documents it cites. It is not tax, benefits or financial advice; the agency’s own notice controls if the two ever differ, and a decision about your own situation belongs with the agency or a qualified professional.
Written by Mirza Seraj Baig · Checked against the documents in the source card (editorial standards).
Updates
- Opened on September 9, 2026 with the 2026 income and resource limits for QMB, SLMB, QI and QDWI, and the Extra Help figures, from Medicare.gov.