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2026 Federal Poverty Level Guidelines (FPL): 2026/2027 LIS Qualifications and Benefits

Medicaid, LIS, & Extra Help · published Jan 15, 2026

The 2026 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Guidelines determine the income level requirements for people applying for the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program, also known as the "Extra Help" program.

Remember:  The Medicare Part D Extra-Help or Low-Income Subsidy program helps pay both your monthly Medicare prescription drug plan premiums and Medicare Part D drug costs.  People who qualify for Medicaid automatically qualify for Medicare Part D Extra Help.

Question:  Who qualifies for full-LIS benefits in 2026?

If your 2026 income is below 150% of the FPL ($23,940 if you are single or $32,460 for married couples), you could qualify for the full Low-Income Subsidy (resource limits also apply - see below).  These limits may increase again in April, 2026 and mid-January, 2027 when the 2027 FPL is announced).

Although all Extra Help beneficiaries receive the same premium and deductible benefits, copays may vary based one of five (5) levels:
  • Full Benefit Dual Eligible (FBDE) -
    • (1)  Institutionalized Beneficiaries,
    • (2)  Beneficiaries Receiving Home and Community-Based Services,
    • Non-Institutionalized Beneficiaries,
      • (3)  Income up to or at 100% FPL, and
      • (4)  Income between 100% FPL and 150% FPL
  • (5)  Non-FBDE Beneficiaries - income between 100% FPL and 150% FPL.
Again, although all five levels above are still considered full-LIS benefits - prescription drug copays may vary between levels.  You can see the resource limits and copayment benefit levels for the Low-Income Subsidy in our 2026 and 2027 annual Medicare Part D overview pages.

Please notice that different income levels apply to LIS benefits for residents of Alaska and Hawaii -- please see the charts below.

Question:  Can I qualifying for partial-LIS benefits?

No. Partial-LIS was eliminated in 2024.  The good news is that, if you qualified for partial-LIS back in 2023, you most likely now qualify for full-LIS benefits.  Plan year 2023 was the last year for partial Extra Help.  For plan year 2024 and beyond, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) increased full-Extra Help benefits to people at or below 150% of FPL and consequently, the 2023 partial Extra Help (135% to 150% of FPL) designation was eliminated.

Question:  How do I apply for the Medicare Part D Extra Help program?

To apply for Extra Help go to: secure.ssa.gov/i1020/start. You could receive Extra Help for the remainder of 2026, even if your income or assets no longer meet the requirements later in the year.  You can also apply for Extra Help through your local state Medicaid office.


2026 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Guideline Tables

  • 48 States and the District of Columbia
    2026 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Guideline Table
    Family Size 100% 135% 140% 145% 150%
    1 $15,960 $21,546 $22,344 $23,142 $23,940
    2 $21,640 $29,214 $30,296 $31,378 $32,460
    3 $27,320 $36,882 $38,248 $39,614 $40,980
    4 $33,000 $44,550 $46,200 $47,850 $49,500
    5 $38,680 $52,218 $54,152 $56,086 $58,020
    6 $44,360 $59,886 $62,104 $64,322 $66,540
    7 $50,040 $67,554 $70,056 $72,558 $75,060
    8 $55,720 $75,222 $78,008 $80,794 $83,580
    9 $61,400 $82,890 $85,960 $89,030 $92,100
    10 $67,080 $90,558 $93,912 $97,266 $100,620
    Additional $5,680 $7,668 $7,952 $8,236 $8,520
    2026 Eligible for QMB/SLMB/QI, SSI or applied and income at or below 150% FPL and resources* < $18,090 (individuals) or < $36,100 (couples).

    For more information and to learn more about:
    • The Extra-Help program on this site
    • The resource limits and copayment benefit levels for the Low-Income Subsidy:  2026 | 2027.


  • Alaska
    2026 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Guidelines Table
    Family Size 100% 135% 140% 145% 150%
    1 $19,950 $26,933 $27,930 $28,928 $29,925
    2 $27,050 $36,518 $37,870 $39,223 $40,575
    3 $34,150 $46,103 $47,810 $49,518 $51,225
    4 $41,250 $55,688 $57,750 $59,813 $61,875
    5 $48,350 $65,273 $67,690 $70,108 $72,525
    6 $55,450 $74,858 $77,630 $80,403 $83,175
    7 $62,550 $84,443 $87,570 $90,698 $93,825
    8 $69,650 $94,028 $97,510 $100,993 $104,475
    Additional $7,100 $9,585 $9,940 $10,295 $10,650
    2026 Eligible for QMB/SLMB/QI, SSI or applied and income at or below 150% FPL and resources* < $18,090 (individuals) or < $36,100 (couples).


  • Hawaii
    2026 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Guidelines Table
    Family Size 100% 135% 140% 145% 150%
    1 $18,360 $24,786 $25,704 $26,622 $27,540
    2 $24,890 $33,602 $34,846 $36,091 $37,335
    3 $31,420 $42,417 $43,988 $45,559 $47,130
    4 $37,950 $51,233 $53,130 $55,028 $56,925
    5 $44,480 $60,048 $62,272 $64,496 $66,720
    6 $51,010 $68,864 $71,414 $73,965 $76,515
    7 $57,540 $77,679 $80,556 $83,433 $86,310
    8 $64,070 $86,495 $89,698 $92,902 $96,105
    Additional $6,530 $8,816 $9,142 $9,469 $9,795
    2026 Eligible for QMB/SLMB/QI, SSI or applied and income at or below 150% FPL and resources* < $18,090 (individuals) or < $36,100 (couples).
*This amount includes the $1,500 per person burial allowance. The resources allowable may be updated in April, 2026 for the remainder of plan year 2026 and the beginning of plan year 2027.

Learn more about:
  • The Extra-Help program.
  • The resource limits and copayment benefits for the Low-Income Subsidy:  2026 | 2027.
Note on Resource limits: CMS (Medicare) adds the burial allowance to the resource limit. So, the resource limits in the tables above have been increased by $1,500 per person.  Social Security does not include the burial allowance to their resources tables and states that you should reduce your resources by $1,500 per person.



2026 LIS Benefits and Subsidy Resource*/Income Limits for Individuals*

All Extra Help Beneficiaries have a $0 premium for qualifying plans and a $0 deductible.
  1. FBDE Institutionalized Beneficiaries - $0 copays.
  2. FBDE Beneficiaries Receiving Home and Community-Based Services - $0 copays.
  3. FBDE Non-Institutionalized Beneficiaries and income at or below 100% FPL - low copays.
  4. FBDE Non-Institutionalized Beneficiaries and income at or below 150% FPL - slightly higher copays.
  5. Non-FBDE, but eligible for QMB/SLMB/QI, SSI or applied and income at or below 150% FPL and resources*  < $18,090 (individuals) or < $36,100 (couples) - slightly higher copays.
  • Resources over < $18,090 (individuals) or < $36,100 (couples) - Not eligible for subsidy.

NOTES:
*The resource levels may be updated (typically increased) in April, 2026 for the remainder of 2026 and again in mid-January for 2027.   These resource levels include a $1,500 (individual) or $3,000 (couple) burial expense.

Question:  How does the burial expense affect my countable resources?

When you apply for LIS or the Medicare Part D Extra Help program, you may find that some documents and forms will already include the $1,500 per person funeral and burial expense allocation in the resources limit.  For example, a person may see a resources limit of $18,090 which already includes a $1,500 burial expense allocation.  Other documents and forms may show a resources limit of $16,590 and request that you REDUCE your countable resources by $1,500 before applying them to the resources limits. 

This means it is important for you to know whether the resource limit you see already includes the burial expense allocation, or if you can reduce your countable resources by the funeral and burial expense allocation before determining whether you qualify.

To review copayments for Full-LIS (and pre-2024 Partial-LIS), select the year link below:

2027 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    100% to 150% FPL
2026 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    100% to 150% FPL
2025 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    100% to 150% FPL
2024 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    100% to 150% FPL
2023 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL
2022 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL
2021 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL
2020 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL
2019 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL
2018 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL
2017 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL
2016 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL
2015 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL
2014 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL
2013 LIS Copayment Benefits:  100% FPL    135% FPL     150% FPL