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To check whether you may qualify for a Medicare Savings Program (MSP), compare your monthly income and resources with Medicare’s 2026 federal limits, then apply through your state Medicaid or Medical Assistance office. Those federal figures are only a screening guide: states may set higher limits or count income and resources differently, and the state—not Medicare—makes the eligibility decision. Medicare advises people to apply even if they think they are over the listed amounts.
What Medicare Savings Programs can pay for
Medicare Savings Programs are state-administered programs that help eligible people with Medicare pay certain Medicare costs. There are four categories: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), Qualifying Individual (QI), and Qualified Disabled and Working Individual (QDWI). They do not all pay the same costs, and their eligibility conditions differ. Choosing which one to ask about starts with what kind of help you need and whether a program’s conditions fit your circumstances.
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| Program | What it may pay | Part A and Part B requirements | Special conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) | Part A premium, if owed; Part B premium; and Medicare-covered Part A and Part B deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments | Eligibility depends on the state’s determination | Providers generally may not bill QMB enrollees for Medicare-covered services and items. A small Medicaid copayment may apply where allowed. |
| Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) | Part B premium | Must have Part A and Part B | No additional work or disability condition is stated for this category. |
| Qualifying Individual (QI) | Part B premium | Must have Part A and Part B | Must not qualify for other Medicaid coverage or benefits. Apply again each year; funding is limited. |
| Qualified Disabled and Working Individual (QDWI) | Part A premium | Ask the state whether your circumstances meet the program’s conditions | For people with a disability who are working and lost Social Security disability benefits and premium-free Part A because they returned to work. |
QMB is the category that can cover Medicare cost-sharing in addition to premiums. For QMB enrollees, providers may not bill for Medicare-covered services and items; Medicare notes that a small Medicaid copayment may apply where applicable. This protection is relevant when you receive Medicare-covered care or items, not a promise that every service or charge is covered. Check with your state or provider about a particular bill or service.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallSLMB and QI help pay the Part B premium, rather than the Part A and Part B deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments described for QMB. Both require Part A and Part B. QI has additional program rules: it is for people who do not qualify for other Medicaid coverage or benefits, must be applied for each year, and is subject to limited funding. QDWI is different from the other three: it pays the Part A premium only and is tied to a specific disability-and-return-to-work situation.
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2026 federal income and resource limits
The following monthly income and resource figures are the 2026 federal amounts listed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Use the individual or married-couple column as an initial comparison, not as a final eligibility test. Alaska and Hawaii have slightly higher federal limits.
| Program | Monthly income limit: individual | Monthly income limit: married couple | Resource limit: individual | Resource limit: married couple |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QMB | $1,350 | $1,824 | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| SLMB | $1,616 | $2,184 | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| QI | $1,816 | $2,455 | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| QDWI | $5,405 | $7,299 | $4,000 | $6,000 |
These amounts are the federal figures shown on Medicare’s Medicare Savings Programs page for 2026. The income amounts are monthly limits, while the resource amounts are listed as limits for the program. Do not compare a resource total with the monthly income figure, or treat the two tests as interchangeable. The table also shows why identifying the likely program matters: the income limits differ across QMB, SLMB, QI, and QDWI, and QDWI has lower resource figures than the other programs.
For QMB, SLMB, and QI, the listed resource limits are the same: $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a married couple. Their income limits differ. QMB has the lowest listed income figures among those three; SLMB’s are higher, and QI’s are higher again. QDWI has a different profile, with 2026 monthly income limits of $5,405 for an individual and $7,299 for a couple, and resource limits of $4,000 and $6,000 respectively. These figures are not a substitute for checking whether you meet that program’s special work and disability conditions.
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Limits and counting rules can vary by state. The federal chart does not establish which particular income sources or assets count in your case, so do not assume a national rule about a specific account, benefit, or type of income. Alaska and Hawaii have slightly higher federal amounts; other state rules can also be more generous than the federal screen. Ask your state office how it applies its own rules.
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How to check whether you qualify
- Choose the category that fits your situation. For help with Medicare premiums and covered cost-sharing, check QMB first. If you need help with the Part B premium, compare SLMB and QI; both require Part A and Part B, and QI has the additional annual application, limited funding, and Medicaid-eligibility rules. Consider QDWI only if you have a disability, are working, and lost premium-free Part A and Social Security disability benefits after returning to work.
- Compare your monthly income and resources with the 2026 figures. Find the individual or married-couple amounts for the relevant program in the table above. Compare the two kinds of figures separately: the income test uses monthly limits, and the resource limits are given separately. Treat this as an initial screen; it does not account for every state rule or decide your application.
- Contact your state Medicaid or Medical Assistance office and apply. The state handles MSP applications and determines whether you qualify and for which program. Use the contact and application route for your state; Medicare’s Medicaid overview explains the state office’s role.
- Ask how your state counts income and resources. Some states use higher limits or more generous counting rules. Ask the state office how its rules apply to your circumstances, especially if your figures are near or above the federal amounts. Do not decide that an asset or income source disqualifies you without checking whether and how your state counts it.
- Ask about Extra Help for prescription drug costs. People receiving state help with Part B premiums through an MSP automatically qualify for Extra Help for Medicare Part D costs. Medicare says Extra Help and MSPs can be applied for at the same time. On an Extra Help application, Social Security can send information to the state to start an MSP application unless you opt out. See Medicare’s information about help with drug costs.
This process is meant to help you decide what to ask and where to apply, not to produce a definitive result from the chart alone. The office will need to apply the rules of your state to your circumstances. You can contact the office before deciding that you are over the limit: the federal figures are a starting point, and Medicare specifically recommends applying even if you do not think you qualify.
Why the federal figures are not a yes-or-no test
The 2026 chart gives national screening amounts, but it is not a complete eligibility calculator. MSPs are administered by states, and state limits or rules for counting income and resources may be more generous than the federal figures suggest. Your state office makes the eligibility decision after considering the applicable state rules and your circumstances.
That is why being above a federal figure does not by itself establish that you are ineligible. Medicare’s guidance says: “Even if you don’t think you qualify, you should still apply.” Ask the state office about its rules rather than ruling yourself out based only on the national chart.
The same caution applies if you appear to fall below the listed figures. The table is not a personal approval or guarantee: the state still has to determine eligibility under its rules. No national table can resolve questions about your state, household circumstances, Medicare enrollment, or the way your income and resources are counted. If the figures leave you uncertain, applying is the route to an individualized decision.
Important rules for QI and QDWI
QI applications are annual and funding is limited
QI helps pay the Part B premium for people who do not qualify for other Medicaid coverage or benefits. You must apply each year. States approve QI applications on a first-come, first-served basis when funding is limited, with priority for people who received QI the previous year. If QI may fit, ask your state office about applying and renewing.
Receiving QI last year does not remove the need to apply again. Because funding is limited and approvals are first come, first served, contact the state office about the process for the current year rather than assuming your prior-year approval continues automatically. If you are new to QI, ask whether you meet the separate condition of not qualifying for other Medicaid coverage or benefits.
QDWI is for a specific return-to-work situation
QDWI is not simply another income tier for anyone with Medicare. Medicare describes it for people with a disability who are working and lost Social Security disability benefits and premium-free Part A because they returned to work. The program may pay the Part A premium only. Ask your state office whether your work and benefit history fits the category.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The higher income limits shown for QDWI do not mean that any person whose income exceeds another MSP’s limit can use QDWI. The work, disability, and lost-benefit circumstances are central to this category, and the state determines whether the person meets its eligibility requirements. If your situation does not match the described pathway, ask about the other MSP categories instead.
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What to ask when you contact your state office
- Which MSP categories can I apply for based on my Medicare enrollment and circumstances?
- What income and resource limits does my state use, and how does it count my income and resources?
- What application method and supporting information does the state require?
- If I may qualify for QI, how do I apply for the current year and renew next year?
- Can I apply for Extra Help at the same time or have Social Security refer my information to the state?
- If I am asking about QDWI, does my disability, work, and benefit history fit the program’s conditions?
- If I qualify for QMB, what should I do if a provider bills me for Medicare-covered services or items, and are any small Medicaid copayments applicable in my state?
The national Medicare pages do not determine an individual result without details such as state of residence, income, resources, household circumstances, and Medicare enrollment. The state application is the route to a personal eligibility decision. CMS’s Get help with your Medicare costs: Getting started publication also provides the 2026 figures and explains that state rules can vary.
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If your main concern is the amount you owe when you use Medicare-covered care, QMB is the program in this group that may help with Medicare-covered Part A and Part B deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments as well as the Part B premium and a Part A premium if owed. It also carries the provider billing protection for Medicare-covered services and items. If your main concern is the Part B premium, SLMB and QI are the categories to compare. Both require Part A and Part B; QI is limited to people who do not qualify for other Medicaid coverage or benefits and requires an annual application.
If you are looking at the income chart, remember that a higher listed income limit does not alone establish that a program is right for you. QI’s income limits are higher than SLMB’s in the 2026 chart, but QI has its own eligibility and funding conditions. QDWI’s listed income limit is higher still, yet it is specifically for people with a disability who are working and lost Social Security disability benefits and premium-free Part A after returning to work. Compare the covered cost, enrollment requirements, state counting rules, and special conditions—not just one number.
The practical next step is the same whichever category appears most likely: contact the state Medicaid or Medical Assistance office and apply. The state can assess which program, if any, fits your circumstances. For help with prescription drug costs, ask about Extra Help too, since receiving MSP help with Part B premiums automatically qualifies a person for Extra Help and the applications can be coordinated.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I qualify for a Medicare Savings Program if my income is above the federal limit?
Possibly. The 2026 federal amounts are an initial screen, not a complete eligibility decision. States may use higher limits or different income and resource counting rules. Contact your state Medicaid or Medical Assistance office and apply; Medicare advises applying even if you think you are over the figures.
What are the 2026 Medicare Savings Program income limits?
The federal monthly income limits for an individual and married couple, respectively, are: QMB, $1,350 and $1,824; SLMB, $1,616 and $2,184; QI, $1,816 and $2,455; and QDWI, $5,405 and $7,299. Alaska and Hawaii have slightly higher federal limits, and states may have more generous rules.
What is the difference between QMB, SLMB, QI, and QDWI?
QMB may pay the Part B premium, a Part A premium if owed, and Medicare-covered Part A and Part B cost-sharing. SLMB and QI help pay the Part B premium and require Part A and Part B; QI also has limited funding, an annual application, and a rule that the person must not qualify for other Medicaid coverage or benefits. QDWI may pay the Part A premium for people with a disability who are working and lost Social Security disability benefits and premium-free Part A after returning to work.
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Apply through your state Medicaid or Medical Assistance office. MSPs are state-administered, and the state determines whether you qualify and which program applies. Ask the office about your state’s income and resource limits and counting rules.
Do Medicare Savings Programs also help with prescription drug costs?
People who receive state help paying their Part B premiums through an MSP automatically qualify for Extra Help for Medicare Part D drug costs. Medicare says you can apply for Extra Help and an MSP at the same time. Social Security can send information to the state to start an MSP application from an Extra Help application unless you opt out.
Do I have to reapply for QI each year?
Yes. QI requires an application each year. Funding is limited, states approve applications first come, first served, and people who received QI the prior year receive priority. Ask your state office how to apply and renew.
The Bottom Line
Use the 2026 federal chart to identify which Medicare Savings Program may fit, but do not treat it as a final verdict. State limits and counting rules can differ, and your state Medicaid or Medical Assistance office makes the decision. Apply even if you think you are over the listed figures, and ask about Extra Help if you need support with Part D drug costs.
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