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Low-Income Assistance

The Social Security Administration's Program Operations Manual System (POMS) page that publishes the official monthly income limits and countable resource limits for QMB, SLMB, and QI — the three Medicare Savings Program tiers. Updated each February with the new year's figures. This is the primary source for the MSP thresholds used in Pemrec 65's low-income assistance screen.

Low-Income Assistance

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) publishes the annual federal poverty level (FPL) figures used as the basis for income eligibility across Medicare's low-income programs. Extra Help (Part D LIS) income limits are set at 150% of the prior year's FPL, and MSP income limits are derived from approximately 100%, 120%, and 135% of the current year's FPL.

Low-Income Assistance

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services memo published each fall that sets the official Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy) income and resource limits for the upcoming calendar year. The 2026 memo confirms the Extra Help income limits ($23,475 single / $31,725 couple) and resource limits ($18,090 single / $36,100 couple) used in Pemrec 65.

Part B & IRMAA

The CMS newsroom fact sheets published each fall (search "Medicare Parts A and B premiums") contain the official standard Part B monthly premium, Part B annual deductible, and IRMAA income bracket thresholds for the upcoming year. These are the source for the premium and surcharge figures used throughout Pemrec 65's cost estimates and checklist items.