Each year when the federal poverty guidelines are announced, NCOA updates our eligibility and coverage chart for the Medicare Savings Programs, using these new figures. (See attached.)

 

Some states implement the new eligibility requirements shortly after the FPLs are announced; others wait until they get official word from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), or until a specific date, such as March or April 1.

 

Unfortunately, CMS has yet to release the official eligibility criteria for 2021 (usually published at: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/seniors-medicare-and-medicaid-enrollees/index.html); therefore this chart represents the unofficial figures. Nevertheless, we wanted to send it out, since a handful of states are already using the new 2021 guidelines.

 

As always, this chart represents a lot of crowdsourcing and research—which is where you come in. If you believe there’s an inaccuracy with the guidelines in your state, please let me know and I can correct it! Likewise, if you hear of policy changes on the horizon (e.g., your state eliminating the asset test; congrats to New Mexico for joining this club!), we also want to know.

 

Once the CMS figures are published, any discrepancies will be corrected.

 

Best,

Brandy

 

Brandy Bauer
Associate Director, Center for Benefits Access
Office: 571-527-3911
xxxxxx@ncoa.org

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