DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop S2-26-12 
Baltimore, Maryland21244-1850 
 
 
CMCS Informational Bulletin  
 
DATE:   March 6, 2018 
 
FROM:   Timothy B. Hill  
Acting Director  
 
SUBJECT:  2018 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 2018 guidelines reflect the 2.1 percent price increase between calendar years 2016 and 2017. 
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 2018 is 
$25,100.  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/2018/01/18/2018-00814/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 2018 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. 
 
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. 
 
 
    2018 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):  $1,032  Individual   $1,392  Couple  
Alaska:             $1,285  Individual   $1,735  Couple  
Hawaii:             $1,184  Individual   $1,598  Couple  
 
Asset Limits:            $7,560  Individual   $11,340  Couple  
 
Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB):  
 
Monthly Income Limits: (120% FPL + $20)*  
 
All States and DC (Except Alaska & Hawaii):   $1,234  Individual   $1,666  Couple  
Alaska:             $1,538  Individual   $2,078  Couple  
Hawaii:             $1,416  Individual   $1,913  Couple  
 
Asset Limits:            $7,560  Individual   $11,340  Couple  
 
Qualifying Individual (QI):  
 
Monthly Income Limits: (135% FPL + $20)*  
 
All States and DC (Except Alaska & Hawaii):   $1,386  Individual   $1,872 Couple  
Alaska:             $1,728  Individual   $2,336  Couple  
Hawaii             $1,591  Individual   $2,150  Couple  
 
Asset Limits:            $7,560  Individual   $11,340  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):  $4,132  Individual   $5,572  Couple  
Alaska:             $5,145  Individual   $6,945  Couple  
Hawaii:             $4,739  Individual   $6,395  Couple  
 
Asset Limits:            $4,000  Individual   $6,000  Couple  
 
*$20 = Amount of the Monthly SSI Income Disregard