South Carolina Medicare Savings Program Income Limits 2026

The income limits for South Carolina's Medicare Savings Programs update every year with the federal poverty guidelines, and 2026 numbers took effect March 1. If you checked last year and your parent was over the line, the new thresholds are higher — worth running the numbers again.

2026 Monthly Income Limits by Tier

All limits below include the standard $20 general income disregard that SCDHHS applies to every applicant. The "effective" ceiling is what your parent's gross income can be and still qualify after the disregard is subtracted.

QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) — up to 100% FPL:

• Individual: $1,350/month
• Married couple: $1,824/month

SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary) — 100% to 120% FPL:

• Individual: $1,351–$1,616/month
• Married couple: $1,825–$2,184/month

QI (Qualifying Individual) — 120% to 135% FPL:

• Individual: $1,617–$1,816/month
• Married couple: $2,185–$2,455/month

If you see income limits of $1,330 or $1,596 published elsewhere, those are the raw poverty guidelines before the $20 disregard — not the actual ceiling SCDHHS uses. The working threshold is $20 higher.

How SCDHHS Counts Income

South Carolina uses SSI methodology. The $20 general income disregard comes off unearned income first — Social Security, pensions, VA payments. If unearned income is less than $20, the remaining disregard applies to earned income.

For earned income beyond the $20 disregard, SCDHHS also excludes the first $65 and then half of everything above that. A parent working part-time can have surprisingly high gross earnings and still qualify.

Social Security counts at the gross amount before Medicare Part B premiums, tax withholding, or any other deductions are taken. That distinction catches people — the net deposit is lower than what SCDHHS uses for the calculation.

Couples vs. Individuals

When both spouses live in the same household, SCDHHS combines their total income and compares against the couple limits — even if only one spouse has Medicare. Legally separated spouses or those living in separate permanent residences are evaluated individually using the single limits.

A Worked Example

Your parent receives $1,340 in gross Social Security and $50 from a small pension. Gross monthly income: $1,390.

SCDHHS subtracts the $20 general disregard from unearned income: $1,390 − $20 = $1,370 countable income. That's above the QMB ceiling of $1,350 but below the SLMB ceiling of $1,616. Your parent qualifies for SLMB, which pays the $202.90 Part B premium — saving $2,434.80 a year.

If their only income were Social Security at $1,340, countable income would be $1,320 — well within QMB, which also covers deductibles and coinsurance.

Watch for Outdated Numbers

Any source showing $9,660 in individual asset limits or income ceilings from 2024 or 2025 is outdated. The 2026 limits are the ones above, and SCDHHS will use them for any application filed this year. The South Carolina Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide includes a self-calculation worksheet with the current figures so your parent can check their own numbers before applying.

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