Updated federal poverty level guidelines for Medicaid eligibility are now available. A posting in the Federal Register and ancillary information provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) details the numbers.

The 2026 guidelines represent a 2.6 percent increase in 2025 versus 2024, CMS said.

Here are tables showing the data:

Dually Eligible Enrollees

Medicaid provides health coverage to 7.2 million low-income seniors who are also enrolled in Medicare, according to CMS.

Medicaid also provides coverage to 4.8 million people with disabilities who are enrolled in Medicare. In total, 12 million people are "dually eligible" and enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare, composing more than 15 percent of all Medicaid enrollees.

Individuals who are enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare, by federal statute, can be covered for both optional and mandatory categories.

2026 Dual Eligible Standards
(Based on Percentage of Federal Poverty Level)

Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB):

Monthly Income Limits: (100% FPL + $20)*

*$20 = Amount of the Monthly SSI Income Disregard

Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB):

Monthly Income Limits: (120% FPL + $20)*

*$20 = Amount of the Monthly SSI Income Disregard

Qualifying Individual (QI):

Monthly Income Limits: (135% FPL + $20)*

*$20 = Amount of the Monthly SSI Income Disregard

Qualified Disabled Working Individual (QDWI):

Monthly Income Limits: (200% FPL + $20)*
(Figures include additional earned income disregards)

*$20 = Amount of the Monthly SSI Income Disregard

Read the Federal Register notice at https://tinyurl.com/53svbd4k. There is also information at https://tinyurl.com/3cr4j5t9.

Comments or questions? Contact Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.