Oregon’s Medicare Savings Program pays some or all of your Medicare premiums, deductibles, and copays if your income and resources fall below set limits. For 2026, a single person can qualify with monthly income up to $1,816 and countable resources up to $9,950; for a married couple, the ceilings are $2,455 and $14,910. The Oregon Department of Human Services runs the program, and you apply through the same online system the state uses for other benefits.
The Three Tiers and What Each One Pays
Which tier you land in depends on your income. Each covers a different piece of what Medicare normally charges you.
- Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) is the broadest. It pays your Part A and Part B premiums along with deductibles, copays, and coinsurance. Providers who accept Medicare cannot bill you for those cost-sharing amounts once you have QMB.
- Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) pays only your monthly Part B premium, which is $202.90 for most enrollees in 2026.1Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles
- Qualifying Individual (QI) also pays the Part B premium, but it runs on a federal block grant. Oregon approves QI applications first-come, first-served, giving priority to people who had QI the previous year.2Medicare. Medicare Savings Programs
Enrollment in any of the three automatically qualifies you for Extra Help, the federal program that reduces Part D prescription drug costs. You do not need to apply for Extra Help separately.3Oregon Department of Human Services. Medicare Savings Programs
2026 Income and Resource Limits
Oregon sets income thresholds as percentages of the federal poverty level, and the figures below already reflect the standard $20 monthly income disregard.
- QMB (100% of poverty): $1,350 individual, $1,824 couple
- SLMB (120% of poverty): $1,616 individual, $2,184 couple
- QI (135% of poverty): $1,816 individual, $2,455 couple
Resource limits are the same across the three programs: $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a married couple.2Medicare. Medicare Savings Programs Resources include money in checking and savings accounts, stocks, and bonds.
Income thresholds change each year, usually in April when new federal poverty guidelines take effect. If you came in just over the line last year, run the numbers again.
What Counts, and What Doesn’t
Income means gross income before taxes or deductions. Social Security benefits, pensions, interest, and wages all count. Oregon then subtracts a $20 general disregard and, if you still work, a $65 earned income disregard before comparing your income to the limits.
Not everything you own is a countable resource. Oregon excludes your primary home, one vehicle, personal belongings, household goods, and burial plots or funds up to $1,500 per person. Life insurance policies with a combined face value under $1,500 are excluded; above that threshold, the policy counts at its cash surrender value, so pull a current policy statement before you apply.
You also must be an Oregon resident and either enrolled in or eligible for Medicare Part A.3Oregon Department of Human Services. Medicare Savings Programs
How to Apply
The fastest route is the ONE Oregon portal at one.oregon.gov. You create an account, complete the application, and upload supporting documents in one sitting. The portal issues a tracking number so you can check status later.4Oregon ONE. Oregon ONE Eligibility
You can also mail your application to the Oregon Department of Human Services Statewide Processing Center, bring it to a local Aging and People with Disabilities office, or get help filling it out through an Area Agency on Aging.
Have these documents ready before you start:
- Recent Social Security benefit letters, pension statements, and pay stubs if you work
- Checking and savings account statements for the most recent period
- Your Medicare card, to confirm Part A enrollment
- A current life insurance policy showing cash surrender value, if applicable
- Statements for stocks, bonds, or other investments
Report exact gross income amounts, not estimates. Rounded figures create follow-up questions from your caseworker and push back the date your coverage can begin.
After You Apply
Oregon generally takes up to 45 days to process a Medicare Savings Program application. A caseworker may call during that window to clarify something or ask for more documents; the sooner you respond, the sooner a decision comes back. The state then sends a written notice telling you whether you were approved, which program you qualify for, and the effective date. Keep the notice. It is your proof of enrollment if a billing dispute comes up later.
Reporting Changes
Once you are enrolled, you have 10 days to report any change in income, resources, or household size.5OregonHealthCare.gov. Reporting Changes A raise, an inheritance, a spouse moving in or out: all of it counts. Late reports can produce an overpayment the state will recover, or a coverage gap you did not see coming.
Annual Renewals
Oregon redetermines eligibility every year. You will get a renewal form asking for updated income and resource information, and because the thresholds move with the poverty guidelines, a small raise does not necessarily put you out. Miss the deadline on the renewal and your benefits end. QI is different in one respect: because it runs on an annual federal block grant, you have to reapply each year.
If You Are Denied
You can request an administrative hearing if your application is denied or your benefits are reduced. For medical eligibility decisions, the deadline is 90 days from the date on the denial notice.6Oregon Department of Human Services / Oregon Health Authority. Administrative Hearing Request For other decisions, it is 45 days. Miss the deadline and the denial becomes final by default, so put the date on your calendar the day the notice arrives.
Most hearings happen by phone. An administrative law judge hears from you and from a state representative, then issues a written order within 30 days.7Oregon Health Authority. Ask Us to Review a Health Care Decision – Request a Hearing If you disagree with the order, you have 60 days to petition the Oregon Court of Appeals.
Before you accept a denial, check that Oregon actually applied both disregards: the $20 general one and, if you work, the $65 earned income disregard. A caseworker error on either can flip a denial into an approval when your income is close to the line.
What About Estate Recovery?
Some people hesitate to apply because they have heard the state can recover Medicaid costs from an estate after death. Medicare cost-sharing paid through QMB, SLMB, or QI is not subject to Medicaid estate recovery. Federal rules exclude Medicare Savings Program benefits from the costs states are required to recoup, so enrollment does not put your home or other assets at risk for your heirs.