DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop S2-26-12 
Baltimore, Maryland   21244-1850 
CMCS Informational Bulletin 
DATE:   March 3, 2020 
FROM:   Calder Lynch  
Deputy Administrator and Director  
Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services  
SUBJECT: 2020 Federal Poverty Level Standards  
As required by Section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1981 (42 
U.S.C. 9902(2)), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) updates the poverty 
guidelines at least annually and by law these updates are applied to eligibility criteria for 
programs such as Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  These annual 
updates increase the Census Bureaus current official poverty thresholds by the relevant 
percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPIU).  
The 2020 guidelines reflect the 1.8 percent price increase between calendar years 2018 and 2019. 
After this inflation adjustment, the guidelines are rounded and adjusted to standardize the 
differences between family and household sizes.  For a family or household of 4 persons living 
in one of the 48 contiguous states or the District of Columbia, the poverty guideline for 2020 is 
$26,200.  Separate poverty guideline figures are developed for Alaska and Hawaii, and different 
guidelines may apply to the Territories. The guidelines can be found at 
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/01/17/2020-00858/annual-update-of-the-hhs-
poverty-guidelines.  To determine eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP, states generally use a 
percentage multiple of the guidelines (for example, 133 percent or 185 percent of the guidelines).  
Included with this informational bulletin is the 2020 Dual Eligible Standards chart that displays 
the new standards for the Medicare Savings Program categories. These standards are also 
available on Medicaid.gov at https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/seniors-medicare-
and-medicaid-enrollees/index.html.  The asset limits are not derived from the poverty levels but 
are instead related to the Medicare Low-Income Subsidy asset limits.  Please note that the 
income figures for the Qualified Disabled Working Individual (QDWI) program identified in the 
chart incorporate earned income disregards, in addition to the $20 general income disregard. 
Please update your standards in accordance with this information. If you have any questions or 
need additional information, please contact Stephanie Kaminsky, Director of the Division of 
Medicaid Eligibility Policy, at 410-786-4653 or Stephanie.Kaminsky@cms.hhs.gov. 
Attachment:   
2020 Dual Eligible Standards 
(Based on Percentage of Federal Poverty Level) 
Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB):  
Monthly Income Limits: (100% FPL + $20)*  
All States and DC (Except Alaska & Hawaii): $1,084  Individual   $1,457  Couple  
Alaska:           $1,350  Individual   $1,816  Couple  
Hawaii:           $1,244  Individual   $1,673  Couple  
Asset Limits:           $7,860  Individual   $11,800  Couple  
Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB):  
Monthly Income Limits: (120% FPL + $20)*  
All States and DC (Except Alaska & Hawaii):  $1,296  Individual   $1,744  Couple  
Alaska:           $1,615  Individual   $2,175  Couple  
Hawaii:           $1,488  Individual   $2,003  Couple  
Asset Limits:           $7,860  Individual   $11,800  Couple  
Qualifying Individual (QI):  
Monthly Income Limits: (135% FPL + $20)*  
All States and DC (Except Alaska & Hawaii):  $1,456  Individual   $1,960 Couple  
Alaska:           $1,815  Individual   $2,445 Couple  
Hawaii           $1,672  Individual   $2,251  Couple  
Asset Limits:           $7,860  Individual   $11,800  Couple  
Qualified Disabled Working Individual (QDWI):  
Monthly Income Limits: (200% FPL + $20)*  
(Figures include additional earned income disregards)  
All States and DC (Except Alaska & Hawaii): $4,339  Individual   $5,833  Couple  
Alaska:           $5,403  Individual   $7,269  Couple  
Hawaii:           $4,979  Individual   $6,695  Couple  
Asset Limits:           $4,000  Individual   $6,000  Couple  
$20 = Amount of the Monthly SSI Income Disregard