Connecticut Medicare Savings Program 2026: Income Limits, No Asset Limit
Connecticut’s limits are higher than the federal limits. DSS lists, effective March 1, 2026, gross monthly limits of $2,807 for one person and $3,806 for a couple for QMB (211% FPL), $3,073 and $4,166 for SLMB (231% FPL), and $3,272 and $4,437 for ALMB (246% FPL). Connecticut has no asset limit for these programs.
There is no resource test in Connecticut for these programs, so resources do not count. The figures come from Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), not from the federal tables, and the checker below applies them. Screener only. Your state Medicaid agency decides, using your full application and its own rules. It applies the 2026 standards to the numbers you enter, and a state can count income and resources differently.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Reviewed October 31, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Your situation
For a married couple, enter both spouses’ income added together. The $20 may not apply to income that is based on need, such as a VA pension, so ask your state if that is your income. Amounts go up to $100,000,000.
Resources do not count in Connecticut, so there is nothing to enter for them.
Result for Connecticut
How your income is counted, step by step
| Social Security, pensions and similar income | $1,500 |
| General exclusion: none listed for Connecticut | -$0 |
| Wages and self-employment earnings | $0 |
| Minus any unused general exclusion | -$0 |
| Minus $65 of wages | -$0 |
| Minus one-half of the rest of the wages | -$0 |
| Countable income a month | $1,500 |
Income against each limit
| Program | Limit for countable income | Countable income compared with the limit | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| QMB | $2,807 | $1,307 under | Likely eligible |
| SLMB | $3,073 | $1,573 under | Under this limit too, but you would be placed in the program above first |
| ALMB | $3,272 | $1,772 under | Under this limit too, but you would be placed in the program above first |
The “Countable income compared with the limit” column shows how far under or over each limit your countable income is. Connecticut’s limits are gross monthly income; DSS does not list a $20 exclusion.
Resources
Resources do not count in Connecticut, so no program here is over a resource limit.
Screener only. Your state Medicaid agency decides, using your full application and its own rules. It applies the 2026 standards to the numbers you enter, and a state can count income and resources differently.
What the Medicare Savings Programs pay in Connecticut
“The QMB is the only level of the Medicare Savings Program that acts like a Medicare Supplemental or Medigap plan. It will cover the costs of the deductibles or co-pays of Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B up to the Medicaid approved rate. It will also pay the premium for Medicare Part A for qualified adults 65 years of age or older when they are not eligible for premium free Medicare due to work earnings.”
“You are protected by federal law from being “balanced billed” or billed for services after Medicare Part A and B pays its portion of the bill, if a provider agrees to treat you, whether or not the provider is a Medicaid provider.”
“SLMB - This program pays for your Part B premium only.”
“The Additional Low Income Medicare Beneficiaries (ALMB) program pays for your Medicare Part B (medical insurance) premium. It is subject to available program funding. You are not eligible for this program if you receive Medicaid.”
“All three levels also automatically enroll you into the Low Income Subsidy (LIS), also called “Extra Help”.”
When coverage starts in Connecticut
“The eligibility start date for MSP depends on which level of MSP(QMB, SLMB, or ALMB) an individual is eligible for. An individual eligible for QMB qualifies in the month after the individual is determined to be eligible. This is usually the month after we receive the application. An individual eligible for SLMB or ALMB may qualify for payment during the three months immediately before the date we receive the application.”
That answer is from DSS’s Medicare Savings Program FAQ, which is undated and still shows 2018 dollar amounts, so ask DSS whether it is current and when your coverage would start.
These are the state’s rules as of October 31, 2026; federal law shortens the Medicaid look-back for applications made on or after January 1, 2027 (see the hub).
Connecticut Medicare Savings Program income limits, 2026
DSS lists these gross monthly income limits, effective March 1, 2026, and its program standards chart labels them 211% FPL for QMB, 231% FPL for SLMB and 246% FPL for ALMB. Connecticut’s limits are gross monthly income; DSS does not list a $20 exclusion. Connecticut’s limits are higher than the federal limits.
| Program | One person | Couple | At the limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) | $2,807 | $3,806 | The state’s wording differs: ask |
| Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) | $3,073 | $4,166 | The state’s wording differs: ask |
| Additional Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (ALMB) | $3,272 | $4,437 | The state’s wording differs: ask |
- Connecticut’s DSS pages list the $65 and one-half of wages exclusions but do not list a $20 general exclusion, and they call the limits gross-income limits. The limits are rounded percentages of the 2026 poverty guideline ($1,330 a month for one person; 211%, 231% and 246% of it), so they do not have the $20 added, and the checker takes no $20 off. Ask DSS whether a $20 exclusion applies to you.
- The DSS eligibility page words the limits “Generally … at or below”, while the DSS FAQ says income must be “below” the limits, so the checker shows income exactly at a limit as at the limit.
- Connecticut’s third level is ALMB. DSS’s article says it pays only the Part B premium, depends on available funding and is not available to people who receive Medicaid, which is how the federal QI group works.
What Connecticut prints
“The monthly income limits, effective March 1, 2026, are:”
“MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAMS (MSP): eff. 3/1/2026, Single Couple”
“Q01/QMB (211% FPL): $2,807 $3,806”
“Q03/SLMB (231% FPL): $3,073 $4,166”
“Q04/ALMB (246% FPL): $3,272 $4,437”
“Generally, if your monthly income is at or below these levels… You may qualify for...”
“To be eligible for MSP, individuals must be (1) residents of Connecticut, (2) be eligible for Medicare Part A or 65 years of age, and (3) have income below the MSP limits. Income eligibility is based on your gross income (before taxes) or your combined gross income with your spouse, even if your spouse is not yet eligible to receive Medicare benefits.”
Sources: Connecticut DSS: Medicare Savings Program, Eligibility; Connecticut DSS: What is the Additional Low Income Medicare Beneficiaries (ALMB) Program?; Connecticut DSS: Frequently Asked Questions about Medicare Savings Programs (MSP); Connecticut DSS: Program Standards Chart, effective 3/1/2026.
Connecticut has no resource test
Connecticut has no resource (asset) test for the Medicare Savings Programs, so bank accounts, vehicles and other property do not affect them. DSS’s ALMB article says:
“Connecticut does not have an asset limit for Medicare Savings Programs.”
How Connecticut counts income
“Your gross income or combined gross income with your spouse determines which category you qualify for. Not all earned income (income from wages) is counted toward eligibility.”
“The Department of Social Services will consider all funds that you and/or your spouse receive before any taxes and deductions are taken out. Social Security benefits, pension, interest from money in the bank or money you earn from working are all considered income. Money received from the Veterans’ Program and Aid and Attendance is not counted towards eligibility.”
“If you are receiving Medicare but you continue to work, the first $65 of your earned income is disregarded (not counted). Only half of the remaining earned income (after subtracting the first $65) is counted towards eligibility for MSP. If your total countable income is below the program income limits, you may be eligible for MSP.”
The checker follows these steps: no general exclusion, $65 off wages, then one-half of the rest of the wages. The same federal rules and the federal limits are on the Medicare Savings Program hub and the Extra Help income limits page.
Where to apply in Connecticut
Apply through Connecticut DSS. ConneCT, the online application that DSS’s ALMB article names (the paper form for these programs is the W-1QMB): https://www.connect.ct.gov. Phone: 1-800-994-9422 (CHOICES, the number DSS’s MSP FAQ gives for more information about MSP).
“Apply online: Visit www.connect.ct.gov and click “Apply for Benefits.””
“Apply by mail: Complete the appropriate form and mail it to DSS ConneCT Scanning Center, PO Box 1320, Manchester, CT 06045.”
“You can get more information about MSP by calling CHOICES at 1-800-994-9422”
Your state Medicaid agency decides which program you qualify for, and Medicare.gov says to apply even if you do not think you qualify. See Medicare.gov’s Medicare Savings Programs page.
The 2027 limits
The 2027 limits are not yet published as of October 31, 2026. Medicare.gov and the SSA Program Operations Manual still list the 2026 limits as the current ones, and this page shows no 2027 limit and makes no estimate.
For the federal limits, resource figures and the meaning of the $20, see the Medicare Savings Program hub; for Extra Help, which comes with these programs, see Extra Help income limits. Full Medicaid is on the Medicaid income limits page.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Medicare Savings Program income limits in Connecticut for 2026?
Connecticut’s limits are higher than the federal limits. DSS lists, effective March 1, 2026, gross monthly limits of $2,807 for one person and $3,806 for a couple for QMB (211% FPL), $3,073 and $4,166 for SLMB (231% FPL), and $3,272 and $4,437 for ALMB (246% FPL). Connecticut has no asset limit for these programs.
Is Connecticut’s limit higher than the federal Medicare Savings Program limit?
Yes. The federal published QMB limit is $1,350 for one person and Connecticut’s is $2,807; the federal published QI limit is $1,816 and Connecticut’s ALMB limit is $3,272. ALMB is Connecticut’s third level, and DSS describes it the way the federal QI group works: Part B premium only, subject to funding, not for people who receive Medicaid.
Does Connecticut have an asset limit for the Medicare Savings Programs?
No. DSS’s ALMB article says Connecticut does not have an asset limit for Medicare Savings Programs, so bank accounts, vehicles and other property do not affect them.
How do I apply for the Medicare Savings Programs in Connecticut?
Apply online at https://www.connect.ct.gov, by mail with the W-1QMB form to the DSS ConneCT Scanning Center, PO Box 1320, Manchester, CT 06045, or in person at a local DSS office. For more information about MSP, DSS’s FAQ gives CHOICES at 1-800-994-9422.
How does Connecticut count my income?
DSS counts your gross income, or your combined gross income with your spouse. For wages, DSS’s FAQ says the first $65 is not counted and only half of the rest is counted. DSS’s pages do not list a $20 general exclusion, so the checker takes none off; ask DSS if your income is near a limit.
What if my income is exactly at a Connecticut limit?
The wording differs. DSS’s eligibility page says “Generally, if your monthly income is at or below these levels”, and its FAQ says income must be “below” the limits. Income of exactly $2,807 for QMB is therefore shown as at the limit. Ask DSS.
Are the 2027 Connecticut Medicare Savings Program limits out yet?
The 2027 limits are not yet published as of October 31, 2026: Medicare.gov and the SSA Program Operations Manual still list the 2026 limits as the current ones. This page shows no 2027 limit and makes no estimate.
Other state pages
Sources
- Connecticut DSS: Medicare Savings Program, Eligibility
- Connecticut DSS: What is the Additional Low Income Medicare Beneficiaries (ALMB) Program?
- Connecticut DSS: Frequently Asked Questions about Medicare Savings Programs (MSP)
- Connecticut DSS: Program Standards Chart, effective 3/1/2026
- Medicare.gov: Medicare Savings Programs
Reviewed October 31, 2026 against the state sources above.