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 24, 2017 
    
FROM:   Timothy Hill  
Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services 
 
SUBJECT:   2017 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 2017 guidelines reflect the 1.3 percent price increase between calendar years 2015 and 2016. 
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 2017 is 
$24,600.  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/2017/01/31/2017-02076/annual-update-of-the-hhs-
poverty-guidelines.  
 
To determine eligibility for Medicaid, CHIP, and advance payments of the premium tax credit 
(APTC) and cost-sharing reductions (CSR) for the purchase of health coverage through the 
Marketplace, states and the federal government generally use a percentage multiple of the 
guidelines (for example, 133 percent or 185 percent of the guidelines).  The Federally-facilitated 
Marketplace (FFM) began using the 2017 FPLs for Medicaid and CHIP eligibility on February 
26, 2017.  In accordance with section 36B of the Internal Revenue Code, eligibility for APTC 
and CSR will continue to be determined using 2016 FPLs for all APTC and CSR for enrollment 
that is effective in 2017.  
 
Included with this informational bulletin is the 2017 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/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.  
  CMCS Informational Bulletin  Page 2 
 
 
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 
Eligibility and Enrollment, at 410-786-4653 or Stephanie.Kaminsky@cms.hhs.gov. 
 
  2017 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): $1,025  Individual   $1,374  Couple  
Alaska:           $1,275  Individual   $1,711  Couple  
Hawaii:           $1,175  Individual   $1,576  Couple  
 
Asset Limits:           $7,390  Individual   $11,090  Couple  
 
Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB):  
 
Monthly Income Limits: (120% FPL + $20)*  
 
All States and DC (Except Alaska & Hawaii):  $1,226  Individual   $1,644  Couple  
Alaska:           $1,526  Individual   $2,049  Couple  
Hawaii:           $1,406  Individual   $1,887  Couple  
 
Asset Limits:           $7,390  Individual   $11,090  Couple  
 
Qualifying Individual (QI):  
 
Monthly Income Limits: (135% FPL + $20)*  
 
All States and DC (Except Alaska & Hawaii):  $1,377  Individual   $1,847  Couple   
Alaska:           $1,715  Individual   $2,303  Couple  
Hawaii           $1,580  Individual   $2,121  Couple  
 
Asset Limits:           $7,390  Individual   $11,090  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): $4,105  Individual   $5,499  Couple  
Alaska:           $5,105  Individual   $6,849  Couple  
Hawaii:           $4,705  Individual   $6,309  Couple  
 
Asset Limits:           $4,000  Individual   $6,000  Couple 
  
*$20 = Amount of the Monthly SSI Income Disregard