Hawaii Medicare Savings Program Income Limits 2026

2026 Income Limits for Hawaii Medicare Savings Programs

Hawaii uses its own Federal Poverty Level guidelines — roughly 15% higher than the 48 contiguous states. That means seniors in Hawaii can earn more and still qualify for Medicare premium help than someone with the same income on the mainland.

Here are the official 2026 limits, effective February 1, 2026. The standard $20 monthly income disregard is already built into these numbers.

Individual Limits

Couple Limits

Compare that to the lower-48 QMB limit of roughly $1,350/month for an individual. A Hawaii senior earning $1,500/month qualifies for QMB here but would be over-income on the mainland.

How Med-QUEST Counts Income

Med-QUEST uses gross monthly income — the amount before Part B premiums, tax withholding, or garnishments are deducted. If your parent's Social Security benefit letter shows $1,500/month gross, that's the number Med-QUEST uses, even if the bank deposit is lower because of a $202.90 Part B deduction.

The $20 general income disregard is already factored into the published limits above, so don't subtract an additional $20 when comparing gross income to the chart. Double-counting the disregard is a common error.

Income sources that count include Social Security, pensions, annuities, VA benefits, and regular financial contributions from family members. Income from an adult child living in the same household does not count toward a parent's MSP eligibility.

For earned income, there are additional exclusions: the first $65 is disregarded, plus half of the remaining earned income after that.

What Counts as a Resource — and What Doesn't

The $9,950 individual resource limit ($14,910 for couples) covers bank accounts, CDs, stocks, bonds, and non-primary real estate. But the assets most families worry about are exempt:

• Home: Fully exempt if the applicant lives there or intends to return
• One car: Exempt regardless of value
• Household goods and personal items: Exempt
• Burial plots and prepaid funeral contracts: Exempt
• Life insurance: Exempt if total face value is under $1,500 per person (term policies with no cash value are always exempt)

Joint bank accounts with adult children are presumed to belong entirely to the applicant unless the child can document their own deposits. IRAs and 401(k)s count as resources unless they're structured for mandatory periodic distributions.

When Limits Update Each Year

Hawaii Med-QUEST updates its income standards on February 1 each year — not January 1 like most mainland states. During January, the prior year's limits still apply. Watch for the annual FPL memo from Med-QUEST if you're applying near the turn of the year.

What Each Tier Pays For

The income tier you qualify for determines what Medicare costs get covered:

• QMB ($1,530 limit): Part A premium, Part B premium ($202.90/mo), Part A deductible ($1,736), Part B deductible ($283), and all Medicare copays/coinsurance
• SLMB ($1,836 limit): Part B premium only ($202.90/mo)
• QI ($2,066 limit): Part B premium only ($202.90/mo), but requires annual reapplication

All three tiers automatically trigger Extra Help for Part D prescription drugs, capping copays at $5.10 for generics and $12.65 for brand-name medications.

If your parent's income is close to the line, the Hawaii Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide includes worksheets that walk through the exact calculation Med-QUEST uses, including the earned income exclusions and spousal deeming rules that the limit tables don't capture.

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