Medicare Savings Programs in Arizona: 2026 income limits and how to apply

Who qualifies

You can get a Medicare Savings Program (MSP) in Arizona if you:

• Have Medicare Part A, or are entitled to it,
• Live in Arizona and have a Social Security number,
• Are a U.S. citizen or have a qualifying immigration status, and
• Have income under the limit.

You do not have to be 65. Anyone with Medicare Part A can qualify. For SLMB and QI-1, you do not need to have Part B yet.

Why AHCCCS's chart looks lower. The AHCCCS eligibility chart lists limits "after deductions." It has already taken off the $20 of income that is not counted. The amounts in the table above are your income before that deduction. They are the same rule, shown two ways.

What counts and what does not

Assets: none counted

AHCCCS shows "N/A" for resource limits on all three programs. Its policy manual has only an income test for them. Savings, retirement accounts, a second car or land will not stop you from getting an MSP in Arizona.

Income: how AHCCCS counts it

AHCCCS counts the income of you and your spouse, if you are married and live together. Then it takes off deductions:

• $20 a month is taken off unearned income first, such as Social Security or a pension. If you are married, it is taken once from the couple's combined unearned income.
• If you work, $65 of earnings is not counted, and then half of the rest is not counted. Some work costs for people with disabilities or blindness also come off.

Income counts in the month you receive it. A couple is compared to the couple limit.

What each program pays

QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary)

• Pays your Part A premium (if you have one) and your Part B premium.
• Pays your Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copays. Doctors should not bill you for these.
• You can have QMB together with full AHCCCS coverage if you qualify for both.

SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary)

• Pays your Part B premium ($202.90 a month in 2026).
• You still pay your own Medicare deductibles and copays.
• Can cover up to three months before the month you apply, if you had Part B and qualified in those months.

QI-1 (Qualifying Individual)

• Pays your Part B premium.
• Can also cover up to three earlier months, but not before January of the current year.
• You cannot get QI-1 at the same time as any other AHCCCS medical program.

Extra Help comes with it

Anyone who gets QMB, SLMB or QI-1 also gets Extra Help with Medicare Part D drug costs automatically.

How to apply

1. Apply online at healthearizonaplus.gov (Health-e-Arizona Plus). Create an account and choose to apply for medical help.
2. Or apply another way. AHCCCS also takes applications by phone, email, fax, or at a local AHCCCS or DES Family Assistance Administration office, and at many community assistor offices. Call AHCCCS at 602-417-4000 or 1-800-654-8713.
3. Have your papers ready. Keep your Medicare card and papers showing your monthly income close by. AHCCCS will tell you if it needs proof.
4. Ask for back months. If you want SLMB or QI-1 to cover the three months before you applied, say so when you apply.
5. Get a decision. AHCCCS has up to 45 days from the date you apply to decide in most cases.

After you apply

• Keep your address current so you get renewal letters. Return any renewal forms on time so the help does not stop.
• Report changes in income or household to AHCCCS.
• If you are denied, you can appeal. AHCCCS must receive your request by the 35th day after the date on the decision letter. You can ask by mail, fax, email, by phone, in person, or through Health-e-Arizona Plus. Say your name, what decision you disagree with and why. If you miss the deadline, you can ask for a "good cause" hearing.

Things people miss

• Thinking your savings are too high. Arizona does not count them.
• Reading the chart wrong. The AHCCCS chart is after the $20 deduction, so your gross income can be a little higher.
• Not applying for QI-1 early in the year. Back months cannot reach into the year before.

Free help

Arizona's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), run by the Department of Economic Security with the Area Agencies on Aging, gives free Medicare counseling by phone or in person. Counselors can help you understand your Medicare costs and ask about these programs. Call the SHIP helpline at 1-800-432-4040, or visit des.az.gov/medicare-assistance.

See all benefits in Arizona, and read about Medicare Part B and Medicare Part A.

Phone numbers: Free help lines for Arizona agencies

Check what you may qualify for