NH Medicare Savings Program Income Limits 2026
2026 Income Limits by Program Tier
New Hampshire DHHS publishes updated Medicare Savings Program (MSP) income thresholds each year, pegged to the Federal Poverty Guidelines. These are the numbers in effect for 2026, after the standard $20 general income disregard is applied:
| Program | Single Monthly Income | Couple Monthly Income |
|---|---|---|
| QMB | $1,350 | $1,824 |
| SLMB | $1,616 | $2,184 |
| SLMB135 (QI) | $1,816 | $2,455 |
| QDWI | $5,405 | $7,299 |
These figures include the $20 disregard. In practice, that means a single person with $1,370 in gross monthly Social Security income has a countable income of $1,350, which falls right at the QMB ceiling.
How New Hampshire Counts Income
DHHS looks at all gross income before Medicare premium deductions or tax withholdings. That includes Social Security retirement or disability payments, pensions, VA benefits, interest, dividends, and rental income.
For earned income, the calculation is more generous. After the $20 general disregard (applied first to unearned income), DHHS excludes the first $65 of gross monthly earnings plus half of whatever remains. A part-time worker earning $400 a month would have far less than $400 counted.
When a Medicare-eligible person lives with a spouse who isn't applying, the couple's combined income is tested against the couple limits. If spouses are legally separated or living apart indefinitely, only the applicant's individual income counts.
2026 Asset Limits
All four MSP tiers share the same resource ceiling (except QDWI, which is lower):
| Single | Couple | |
|---|---|---|
| QMB / SLMB / SLMB135 | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| QDWI | $4,000 | $6,000 |
Several major assets are excluded from counting:
- Primary home — fully excluded regardless of value
- One vehicle — fully excluded if used for transportation
- Burial plots and headstones for family members
- Designated burial funds up to $1,500 per person
- Term life insurance (no cash value)
- Whole life insurance with face value at or below $1,500
- Retirement accounts in periodic payment status (the distributions count as income, but the account balance doesn't count as a resource)
Bank accounts, CDs, stocks, bonds, and equity in additional vehicles all count toward the limit.
Free Download
Get the New Hampshire — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Everything in this article as a printable checklist — plus action plans and reference guides you can start using today.
The COLA Buffer
Every January, Social Security checks go up with the cost-of-living adjustment, but the new Federal Poverty Guidelines don't take effect in New Hampshire until March. To keep people from losing MSP coverage during that two-month gap, DHHS holds open any case that exceeds income limits solely because of the January COLA increase. Eligibility gets recalculated in March using the updated thresholds, and coverage continues without interruption if the person still qualifies.
When Lump Sums Complicate Things
The Social Security Fairness Act repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset in January 2025, and SSA's retroactive adjustments are complete. A retroactive Social Security payment counts as unearned income in the month received, but is excluded from countable resources for nine calendar months following that month if kept in a separate account and not commingled. Report the payment during the application and keep it separate to preserve the resource exclusion.
Our New Hampshire Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide includes worked examples showing exactly how the income calculation plays out for common scenarios — Social Security only, pension plus Social Security, and part-time earnings — so you can figure out where your parent falls before filing.
Get Your Free New Hampshire — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Download the New Hampshire — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.