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:   January 19, 2023  
 
FROM:   Dan Tsai, Deputy Administrator and Director  
Center for Medicaid and  CHIP Services  
 
SUBJECT: 2023 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 2023 guidelines reflect the  8.0 percent price increase between calendar  years 2021 and 2022. 
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 2023 is  
$30,000. 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/2023/01/19/2023-00885/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  2023 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  Sarah Spector, Director of the Division of  
Medicaid Eligibility Policy,  at 410-786-3031 or Sarah.Spector@cms.hhs.gov.  
 
Attachment:   2023  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):   $   1,235.00     Individual   $  1,663.00     Couple  
Alaska:   $   1,538.00     Individual   $  2,073.00     Couple  
Hawaii:   $   1,418.00     Individual   $  1,910.00     Couple  
 
Asset  Limits:   $   9,090.00     Individual   $13,630.00     Couple  
 
Specified  Low-Income  Medicare  Beneficiary  (SLMB):  
Monthly  Income Limits:  (120%  FPL  +  $20)*  
 
All  States  and DC (Except Alaska  &  Hawaii):   $   1,478.00     Individual   $  1,992.00     Couple  
Alaska:   $   1,841.00     Individual   $  2,484.00     Couple  
Hawaii:   $   1,697.00     Individual   $  2,288.00     Couple  
 
Asset  Limits:   $   9,090.00     Individual   $13,630.00     Couple  
 
Qualifying  Individual  (QI):  
Monthly  Income Limits:  (135%  FPL  +  $20)*  
 
All  States  and DC (Except Alaska  &  Hawaii):   $   1,660.00     Individual   $  2,239.00     Couple  
Alaska:   $   2,069.00     Individual   $  2,792.00     Couple  
Hawaii:   $   1,907.00     Individual   $  2,572.00     Couple  
 
Asset  Limits:   $   9,090.00     Individual   $13,630.00     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):   $   4,945.00     Individual   $  6,659.00     Couple  
Alaska:   $   6,155.00     Individual   $  8,299.00     Couple  
Hawaii:   $   5,675.00     Individual   $  7,645.00     Couple  
 
Asset  Limits:   $   4,000.00     Individual   $  6,000.00     Couple  
$20  = Amount  of  the Monthly  SSI  Income Disregard