Quick answers
- What are Florida's Medicare Savings Programs called?
- DCF uses the federal names: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Special Low Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) and Qualifying Individuals 1 (QI1). They are a limited kind of Florida Medicaid that pays Medicare costs.
- What is ACCESS Florida?
- ACCESS Florida is DCF's system for public benefits, and MyACCESS is its online portal. Florida uses one application for Medicaid, food assistance and cash assistance, and the Medicare Savings Programs are part of Medicaid.
- What are the income limits?
- Countable income up to 100% of the federal poverty level for QMB, between 100% and 120% for SLMB, and over 120% up to 135% for QI1. DCF's Appendix A-9.1 lists the monthly amounts for households of 1 to 10 people.
- Does Florida have an asset test?
- Yes. Countable assets must be no more than $9,950 for one person or $14,910 for a couple. Your home and one car, whatever their value, don't count.
- Do I get Extra Help too?
- Yes. If DCF approves you for QMB, SLMB or QI1, Medicare gives you Extra Help with Part D drug costs automatically.
What each Florida program pays
Medicare Savings Programs are federal programs that each state's Medicaid program runs. In Florida, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) decides who qualifies through its Office of Economic Self Sufficiency, and the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) runs Florida Medicaid. DCF's Economic Self Sufficiency (ESS) Program Policy Manual uses the federal names:
| Program | What it pays | Florida details |
|---|---|---|
| QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) | Medicare premiums, coinsurance and deductibles | Includes the full Medicare coinsurance for skilled nursing facility care (ESS 2040.0817). Starts the month after DCF decides |
| SLMB (Special Low Income Medicare Beneficiary) | Part B premium | You must have Part A, premium-free or paid by someone other than the state |
| QI1 (Qualifying Individuals 1) | Part B premium | Only if you don't qualify for another Medicaid group except Medically Needy. Funding is a yearly federal allocation, so it isn't an open entitlement |
The Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, so SLMB or QI1 alone is worth $2,434.80 over a full year. QMB also covers the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), the Part A hospital deductible ($1,736 per benefit period) and skilled nursing coinsurance ($217 a day for days 21 to 100 in 2026). None of the three pays for things Medicare doesn't cover. Medicare.gov also lists a fourth program, QDWI, which pays the Part A premium for some working people with disabilities; it isn't on DCF's MSP chart, so ask DCF about it.
QMB has a second protection: Medicare.gov says providers aren't allowed to bill you for Medicare-covered services, including deductibles, coinsurance and copayments. See What is QMB in Florida?
Florida's income limits
| Program | Countable income | Assets, one person | Assets, couple |
|---|---|---|---|
| QMB | Up to 100% of the federal poverty level | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| SLMB | Over 100%, up to 120% | $9,950 | $14,910 |
| QI1 | Over 120%, up to 135% | $9,950 | $14,910 |
DCF's Appendix A-9.1 (Financial Standards Effective April 2026) lists the monthly dollar limits for households of 1 to 10 people. Three Florida rules decide how your income compares:
- Countable income, not take-home pay. Florida follows the SSI income rules (Rule 65A-1.713), which subtract a small general income exclusion, and more for wages. DCF counts your Social Security before the Part B premium is taken out (ESS 1840.0903).
- Family size. For these programs DCF counts your spouse and any relative by blood, marriage or adoption who lives with you and gets at least half of their support from you (ESS 2240.0606.05). That's why A-9.1 has columns for larger households.
- A spouse who isn't applying. If you live with your spouse, DCF counts both incomes and always uses the couple asset limit (ESS 2240.0610).
Why Medicare.gov shows higher numbers. Medicare.gov's national chart builds the general income exclusion into its monthly limits. DCF's A-9.1 lists the poverty-level amounts themselves and subtracts the exclusion from your income instead. It's the same test. When the two differ, DCF's chart decides.
Try the savings programs screener, or read What are the Medicare Savings Program income limits in Florida?
The asset test
Florida keeps an asset test. DCF's limit is three times the SSI resource limit, adjusted each year, which equals the federal figures above. Under DCF's asset rules (ESS 1640), these don't count: your home, of any value, including a home in another state you intend to return to; one automobile of any value; household goods and personal effects; burial spaces and irrevocable prepaid burial contracts; and a retirement fund you're already receiving regular payments from. Bank accounts, CDs, stocks, bonds, a second car and property other than your home generally count. Details: Does Florida count my house or car for Medicare Savings Programs?
Medicare Savings Programs and full Florida Medicaid
A Medicare Savings Program isn't full Medicaid. Florida's main Medicaid group for older and disabled adults, MEDS-AD, generally excludes people who receive Medicare unless they also get institutional, hospice or home and community-based services (ESS 2040.0813.03). So many Floridians with Medicare and low income get a Medicare Savings Program rather than full Medicaid, while full Medicaid usually comes through SSI, Medically Needy or long-term care Medicaid. DCF checks every group you might qualify for on the same application. Read Florida Medicaid and Medicare and What is MEDS-AD?
Medicare Savings Program help can also matter for special needs plans: under Florida's contract with AHCA, coordination-only D-SNPs may enroll only people with partial help (QMB, SLMB, QI or QDWI). See dual-eligible special needs plans in Florida.
How to apply in Florida
- Apply through ACCESS Florida. Online at MyACCESS, or on paper by mail, fax or in person (ESS 0640.0100). Florida uses one application for all assistance programs. DCF's customer call center is (850) 300-4323 (Florida Relay 711, TTY 1-800-955-8771).
- Sign the financial release. DCF needs a signed Financial Information Release Form (CF-ES 2613) or written permission to check your financial records.
- Send proof when asked. DCF lists what it needs and gives you a due date, usually 10 days. If you have Medicare, you generally don't have to prove citizenship or identity. See What documents do I need?
- Watch for the decision. If you give DCF everything, its standard is a decision by the 30th day after you apply (ESS 0640.0400). If you're denied, the notice explains how to ask for a hearing.
Step by step: How do I apply for a Medicare Savings Program in Florida?
You also get Extra Help
Under 42 CFR 423.773(c), anyone approved for QMB, SLMB or QI1 gets Extra Help with Part D drug costs automatically. In 2026 Extra Help caps what you pay at $5.10 for each generic drug and $12.65 for each brand-name drug, and you owe no Part D late enrollment penalty while you have it. Extra Help's own limits are higher, so some Floridians who miss the Medicare Savings Programs still qualify. See Extra Help in Florida.
Estate recovery doesn't apply to this help
Florida's Medicaid Estate Recovery Act, s. 409.9101, Florida Statutes, creates a debt for Medicaid paid after age 55 and says recovery is made under federal authority in 42 U.S.C. 1396p(b)(1). That federal law excludes "medical assistance for medicare cost-sharing" from the optional recovery category. Help from QMB, SLMB or QI1 alone isn't recovered from your estate. More: Will Florida Medicaid take my house?
After you're approved
A Medicare Savings Program doesn't change your Medicare coverage. Keep your address current with DCF and answer renewal notices. If you want to compare Medicare plans from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent. Benefits Life isn't connected with DCF or AHCA, which decide who qualifies.
Sources
- Florida DCF — Appendix A-9.1, Medicare Savings Programs and LIS Financial Standards, effective April 2026 (PDF)
- Florida DCF — ESS Program Policy Manual, Chapter 2000, Coverage Groups (2040.0813, 2040.0817–2040.0819) (PDF)
- Florida DCF — ESS Program Policy Manual, Chapter 1600, Assets (1640, SSI-related Medicaid) (PDF)
- Florida DCF — ESS Program Policy Manual, Chapter 2200, Standard Filing Unit (PDF)
- Florida DCF — ESS Program Policy Manual, Chapter 1800, Income (1840, SSI-related Medicaid) (PDF)
- Florida DCF — ESS Program Policy Manual, Chapter 0600, Application Processing (PDF)
- Florida Administrative Code — Rule 65A-1.713, SSI-Related Medicaid Income Eligibility Criteria
- Florida DCF — Public Benefits and Services (ACCESS Florida, call center)
- Florida Statutes — s. 409.9101, Medicaid Estate Recovery Act
- U.S. Code — 42 U.S.C. 1396p, Liens, adjustments and recoveries
- U.S. Code — 42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(8), QMB effective date
- Medicare.gov — Medicare Savings Programs
- eCFR — 42 CFR 423.773, Requirements for eligibility (Extra Help deemed eligibility)
- AHCA — D-SNP contract, Attachment I-B, Scope of Services (PDF)
Every question in this guide
- What documents do I need to apply for a Medicare Savings Program in Florida?
- Will Florida Medicaid take my house after I die if I get a Medicare Savings Program?
- How do I apply for Extra Help with Medicare drug costs in Florida?
- How do I apply for a Medicare Savings Program in Florida?
- What are the Medicare Savings Program income limits in Florida?
- Does Florida count my house or car for Medicare Savings Programs?
- What is QMB in Florida?
Frequently asked questions
What is SLMB in Florida?
SLMB, the Special Low Income Medicare Beneficiary program, pays your Part B premium if your countable income is between 100% and 120% of the federal poverty level and your assets are within the limit. You must already have Part A. It doesn't pay deductibles or coinsurance.
Should I apply if my income is a little over the limit?
Yes. DCF counts income after exclusions, not your gross check, and it counts some relatives who depend on you in your family size, so you may qualify even if your Social Security looks too high. Medicare.gov says to apply even if you don't think you qualify.
When does QMB start in Florida?
Federal law says a QMB decision applies to services after the end of the month in which the state decides, so QMB starts the first of the next month. DCF's manual says its three-month retroactive Medicaid rule doesn't apply to QMB.
Is a Medicare Savings Program the same as full Florida Medicaid?
No. QMB pays only Medicare premiums, deductibles and coinsurance, and SLMB and QI1 pay only the Part B premium. Full Medicaid for people on Medicare usually comes through SSI, Medically Needy or long-term care Medicaid, because Florida's MEDS-AD group excludes most people with Medicare.
Will Florida take my house to repay a Medicare Savings Program?
Not for Medicare Savings Program help. Federal law, 42 U.S.C. 1396p(b)(1)(B)(ii), excludes Medicare cost-sharing help from Medicaid estate recovery, and Florida's estate recovery law works under that federal authority.
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