Medicare Savings Program in Washington State: 2026 Income Limits, No Asset Test

$1,463 a month. In 2026, that's Washington's income limit for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program for one person, after the $20 deduction the state lets every household take ($1,984 for a married couple). And there is no asset test. The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) says it plainly: There are no asset tests for MSPs. This means you won't be asked to verify any resources such as bank account balances.

That second part trips people up. Most national articles about Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) quote the federal resource limit, $9,950 for an individual in 2026. Read that, look at your savings account, and you might decide not to apply. In Washington, that limit doesn't apply. WAC 182-517-0100 says it in one line: The federal MSPs do not require a resource test.

An MSP is a Medicaid benefit run by the state that pays some or all of your Medicare costs. For the QMB level, that means the Part B premium ($202.90 a month in 2026), the Part A premium if you owe one, and Medicare deductibles and coinsurance. Below is what each of the four programs pays, the 2026 limits, when coverage starts, and how to apply.

Source: HCA 22-500 (05/26) (income after the $20 deduction); HCA Medicare Savings Program page; CMS 2026 Part B fact sheet.

The four programs and what each pays

Washington offers all four federal MSPs. They're tiers: the lower your income, the more the program pays. You don't pick one. Under WAC 182-517-0100, the agency checks you for QMB first and uses whichever determination gives you the highest level of coverage. The four are QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary), SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary), QI-1 (Qualified Individual) and QDWI (Qualified Disabled and Working Individual).

Source: HCA, Medicare Savings Program; WAC 182-517-0100(4).

A few details matter here.

QMB is the big one. The WAC says it pays Part A and Part B premiums plus coinsurance, copayments and deductibles for Part A, Part B and Part C, subject to the payment limits in WAC 182-502-0110. Medicare.gov adds a protection people don't know about: if you're in QMB, Medicare providers aren't allowed to bill you for services and items Medicare covers, including deductibles, coinsurance and copayments (you may still get a bill for a small Medicaid copayment, if one applies). Show your Medicare card and your Medicaid or QMB card every time you get care. If a provider bills you anyway, call SHIBA or 1-800-MEDICARE before you pay it.

SLMB and QI-1 pay the Part B premium only. That's $202.90 a month in 2026, or $2,434.80 a year.

QI-1 has a funding cap. The state pays QI-1 premiums until its federal allotment is spent; payments resume at the start of the next calendar year (WAC 182-517-0100(4)(d)). Medicare.gov also says QI enrollees must apply every year, and states approve QI applications first-come, first-served, with priority for people who had QI the year before.

QDWI is narrow. It pays only the Part A premium, and only for people under 65 who are working and meet the disability rules. Medicare.gov describes it as help for people who lost premium-free Part A because they returned to work. HCA's flyer says QDWI has special earned-income deductions, so call for help with that one rather than working it out yourself.

That matters for the limit, too. The $2,660 QDWI figure in the table below isn't a simple paycheck cutoff: the earned-income deductions come off first, and Medicare.gov lists the 2026 federal QDWI income limit at $5,405 a month for one person. If you're working and earn more than $2,660, don't rule yourself out. Call HCA (1-800-562-3022) or SHIBA and have them run the numbers.

The flyer also says you can have either Original Medicare or a Medicare managed care plan (Medicare Advantage) and still get an MSP. The MSP pays Medicare's costs; it doesn't replace your coverage.

2026 income limits in Washington

HCA's flyer (form 22-500) uses a simple worksheet: write down your gross monthly household income, subtract $20 (one deduction per household), and compare the result to the chart. Every figure in this table is on that basis: income after the $20.

Source: HCA 22-500 (05/26); percentages from WAC 182-517-0100(2)(c). Poverty level: HHS 2026 poverty guidelines, $15,960 for one person.

You may also see HCA's published standards chart (HCA 19-0096), which shows $1,483 for QMB. That's the same limit with the $20 added back in, not a different rule. I'm using the flyer figures here because they match the worksheet a reader actually fills out.

Two hypothetical examples, using only the flyer worksheet:

• Example 1. Say you're single and your only income is a Social Security benefit of $1,450 a month before deductions. $1,450 minus $20 is $1,430. That's under $1,463, so you're in the QMB range.
• Example 2. Same situation, but the benefit is $1,700 gross. After the $20 you're at $1,680: above the SLMB line of $1,596, under the QI-1 line of $1,835. QI-1 would pay your Part B premium, $202.90 a month.

Use the gross figure. If your Part B premium comes out of your Social Security benefit, the deposit you see in your bank account is smaller than the gross income the worksheet asks for. And the worksheet is a screen, not the decision: HCA counts income under the SSI-related rules in chapter 182-512 WAC, which have their own deductions and exclusions, and a spouse's income can be deemed to you. If you're within a couple hundred dollars of a line, apply and let the state do the math.

The limits move every April 1, when HCA adopts the new federal poverty guidelines. From 2025 to 2026 they went up by roughly $29 to $52 a month for one person:

• April 2025
• April 2026

$0$1,000$2,000$3,000

QMBSLMBQI-1QDWI

Source: HCA income standards 4/1/2025; HCA income standards 4/1/2026

Show the numbers

	April 2025	April 2026
QMB	$1,454	$1,483
SLMB	$1,585	$1,616
QI-1	$1,820	$1,855
QDWI	$2,628	$2,680

Washington vs the federal numbers

Medicare.gov publishes federal MSP limits and notes that you may qualify in some states even if your income or resources are higher. Washington is one of those states: it goes further on QMB and QI-1, matches the federal SLMB line, and drops the asset test entirely. (QDWI is left out of this table because its limits depend on earned-income deductions.) Here's the comparison on the same basis as HCA's chart (the federal figures work out to the poverty level plus $20):

Source: Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs; HCA income standards 4/1/2026; HCA.

The QMB gap is $133 a month for a single person ($1,824 federal vs $2,004 in Washington for a couple). Washington sets QMB at 110% of the poverty level, and the federal figure is lower. Someone reading a national article could think they're over the line when, in Washington, they're well inside it.

The asset point is bigger. Under the federal test, a single person with $10,000 in the bank fails on resources alone. In Washington, savings, a paid-off house or a car aren't counted for MSPs at all. Income is the only test.

What an MSP is worth in 2026

CMS sets the Medicare numbers every year. For 2026, the standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month, up $17.90 from $185.00 in 2025, and the Part B deductible is $283, up $26. Here's what those two items alone add up to for a year:

Source: CMS, 2026 Medicare Parts A & B premiums and deductibles. Annual totals computed from the CMS figures.

SLMB and QI-1 cover the first tile: $2,434.80 a year. QMB covers the premium and the cost sharing, so for someone who lands in the hospital, the $1,736 Part A deductible and Part B coinsurance stop being the enrollee's problem (within the state's payment rules).

CMS says about 99% of people with Medicare don't pay a Part A premium, because they have at least 40 quarters of covered work. If you don't, the numbers jump: CMS lists a 2026 Part A premium of $311 a month with 30 to 39 quarters of work, and $565 with fewer than 30. QMB pays that premium too, which matters most for people with short U.S. work histories.

Source: CMS 2026 fact sheet (amounts); WAC 182-517-0100(4) and HCA (what each program pays).

When coverage starts

This is the rule that costs people money, so read it twice. WAC 182-504-0025 sets different start dates for each program:

Source: WAC 182-504-0025.

QMB never looks back. Every month you wait to apply is a month of Part B premiums and cost sharing you pay yourself. If you think you might qualify, apply now rather than after your next doctor's visit. SLMB, QI-1 and QDWI can reach back up to three months, which softens a late application but doesn't erase it.

The 12-month certification also means a renewal. Watch your mail for the renewal notice and answer it, so your coverage doesn't lapse when the period ends.

How to apply

You apply through the state, not Medicare. Medicare.gov's advice is direct: Even if you don't think you qualify, you should still apply. The state decides which program fits. Washington's paper form, HCA 13-691, Application for Medicare Savings Programs, lists five ways to send it in:

• Online: Washington Connection (washingtonconnection.org).
• Phone: 1-877-501-2233.
• Fax: 1-888-338-7410.
• Mail: DSHS CSD Customer Service Center, PO Box 11699, Tacoma, WA 98411-6699.
• In person: the drop box at a DSHS Community Services Office (find one at dshs.wa.gov/office-locations).

To get a paper application mailed to you, HCA's flyer gives 1-800-562-3022, extension 16129. Have your Medicare card and your income figures (Social Security award letter, pension statements) in front of you before you start.

If you'd like someone to walk through it with you, call SHIBA (Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors) at 800-562-6900, Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 4:30. SHIBA is run by the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, and its volunteers give unbiased, confidential Medicare help at no charge. HCA's flyer suggests asking to be connected with your local SHIBA office.

Extra Help comes with it

Getting any MSP that pays your Part B premium brings Extra Help with prescription drug costs automatically. Medicare.gov lists three groups who get Extra Help without a separate application: people with full-benefit Medicaid, people whose state pays their Part B premium through a Medicare Savings Program, and people on SSI.

For QMB, SLMB and QI enrollees, Medicare.gov says you'll pay no more than $12.65 in 2026 for each drug your Medicare drug plan covers. The cap applies to drugs your Medicare drug plan covers; if you get Extra Help and don't have a drug plan, Medicare.gov says you'll be enrolled in one, and you can pick a different one. Our page on Medicare Part D in Washington explains how drug coverage works here, and the Medicare.gov plan finder or SHIBA can help you compare your options without anyone steering you.

Extra Help also has its own national limits, with an asset test. Those are separate from the Washington MSP rules, so don't let them scare you off the MSP application.

Estate recovery, Medicaid and appeals

Estate recovery. This is the question I'd expect from anyone who owns a home. HCA's flyer answers it directly: Will these benefits affect my estate? No, there is no estate recovery for Medicare Savings Programs. If you also get other Apple Health (Medicaid) coverage, ask about that program separately; this answer is about MSPs.

MSP plus Medicaid. Under WAC 182-517-0100, QMB and SLMB can run alongside other Medicaid coverage. QI-1 and QDWI can't: if you start Medicaid, you lose QI-1 or QDWI, though you may qualify for the state-funded Medicare buy-in under WAC 182-517-0300. That program pays only the Part B premium, starting the second month after you meet eligibility.

If you're denied. You have the right to an administrative hearing under chapter 182-526 WAC. Read the denial notice for the deadline and for the income figure the state used. SHIBA can help you read the notice and decide whether to ask for a hearing.

Open Enrollment, April 1 and 2027

MSPs don't follow Medicare's calendar. Nothing in HCA's MSP rules ties your application to Medicare Open Enrollment (October 15 to December 7), so don't wait for it. It is a good moment to check, though, because if you're approved for an MSP you also get Extra Help with drug costs, and that changes what drug coverage looks like for you. Our guide to Medicare Open Enrollment 2027 in Washington covers the dates and your Medigap rights.

Two dates to watch:

• 2027 Part B premium. As of October 12, 2026, CMS hasn't announced it. The 2026 figures came out on November 14, 2025. I won't guess at the number; when CMS publishes it, this page gets updated.
• April 1, 2027. Washington resets the MSP income limits each April 1 using the new poverty guidelines, and the agency counts the annual Social Security cost-of-living increase starting April 1 too. If you were just over a line this year, check again in April.

For the bigger picture on Medicare in this state, see our Washington Medicare overview.

FAQ

What is the income limit for the Medicare Savings Program in Washington State in 2026?

For QMB, the limit is $1,463 a month for one person and $1,984 for a couple, after a $20 deduction from gross income. SLMB goes up to $1,596 and QI-1 up to $1,835 for one person. These limits took effect April 1, 2026.

Does Washington have an asset limit for Medicare Savings Programs?

No. HCA says there are no asset tests for MSPs, and WAC 182-517-0100 says the federal MSPs do not require a resource test. You won't be asked to verify bank account balances.

Is there estate recovery for Medicare Savings Programs in Washington?

No. HCA's Medicare Savings Programs flyer says there is no estate recovery for Medicare Savings Programs.

When does QMB coverage start in Washington?

QMB starts on the first day of the month after the state determines you're eligible, with no retroactive months. SLMB, QI-1 and QDWI can start up to three months before the certification period if you were eligible then.

How do I apply for a Medicare Savings Program in Washington?

Apply online at Washington Connection, by phone at 1-877-501-2233, by fax at 1-888-338-7410, by mail using form HCA 13-691, or at a DSHS Community Services Office drop box. SHIBA (800-562-6900) can help you apply.

Washington's rules and your own situation control whether you qualify and what's paid. Confirm the details with HCA, SHIBA, 1-800-MEDICARE or a licensed agent, and talk to an attorney about legal questions such as estates.

Sources

1. Washington State Health Care Authority: Medicare Savings Program
2. HCA 22-500 (05/26): Medicare Savings Programs flyer, 2026 income standards
3. HCA 13-691: Application for Medicare Savings Programs
4. HCA: Income standards effective April 1, 2026
5. HCA: Income standards effective April 1, 2025
6. HCA: Program standard of income and resources
7. WAC 182-517-0100: Medicare savings programs
8. WAC 182-504-0025: Medicare savings program certification periods
9. WAC 182-517-0300: State-funded Medicare buy-in
10. Chapter 182-526 WAC: Administrative hearing rules
11. CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A & B premiums and deductibles
12. Medicare.gov: Medicare Savings Programs
13. Medicare.gov: Help with drug costs (Extra Help)
14. HHS ASPE: 2026 poverty guidelines
15. Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner: SHIBA
16. Washington Connection