Full answer: Yes. Michigan residents enrolled in both Medicare and full Medicaid, known as full dual eligibles, receive Medicare Parts A, B, and D combined with Medicaid wraparound benefits such as long-term care, dental, and transportation, most at $0 premium and $0 copay. Since January 1, 2026, MI Coordinated Health, Michigan's new Highly Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan, has combined this coverage into one plan in 10 counties and the Upper Peninsula, replacing MI Health Link, with statewide expansion planned for 2027. Michigan also runs three Medicare Savings Programs, QMB, SLMB, and QI, that pay Medicare premiums and cost-sharing for beneficiaries who do not qualify for full Medicaid.
Michigan has more than 300,000 residents enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, known as dual eligibles, and 2026 brings the biggest change to their coverage in over a decade. MI Coordinated Health, a new Highly Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (HIDE-SNP), launched January 1, 2026, replacing the MI Health Link demonstration that ended December 31, 2025. Full dual eligibles in 10 counties and the Upper Peninsula can now get Medicare and Medicaid combined into one plan, one card, and one care coordinator, usually at $0 premium and $0 copay.
Michigan residents will find who counts as a dual eligible below, the 2026 income and asset limits for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), and Qualifying Individual (QI) programs, how MI Coordinated Health works, and the step-by-step application process. For Medicare's Low-Income Subsidy on prescription drugs, see Medicare Extra Help in Michigan. To check multiple programs at once, use the Benefits Screener.
Direct Answer for Michigan Dual Eligibles
Yes. Michigan residents enrolled in both Medicare and full Medicaid, called full dual eligibles, receive Medicare Parts A, B, and D combined with Medicaid extras such as long-term care, dental, and transportation, most at $0 premium and $0 copay. Since January 1, 2026, MI Coordinated Health has combined this coverage into one plan in 10 counties and the Upper Peninsula, replacing MI Health Link, with statewide expansion set for 2027.
Michigan Dual Eligibility Income Limits by Household Size (2026)
Michigan sets its 2026 dual eligibility income limits at 100% of the Federal Poverty Level for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, the threshold most full duals must meet alongside Medicare enrollment. MI Coordinated Health does not add a separate income test: if a Michigan resident already qualifies for both Medicare and full Michigan Medicaid, or for QMB, that resident generally qualifies for MI Coordinated Health in a covered county. The table below shows the 2026 QMB threshold by household size, the standard entry point most Michigan dual eligibles use.
MI Coordinated Health: Michigan's New Dual Eligible Plan (2026)
Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) awarded seven-year contracts to nine health plans, including Aetna Better Health, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Priority Health, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, to run MI Coordinated Health starting January 1, 2026. MI Coordinated Health is a Highly Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (HIDE-SNP) that combines Medicare Parts A, B, and D with nearly all Medicaid benefits, including nursing facility care and home and community-based services, into a single plan with one member ID card and one dedicated care coordinator.
Michigan limits MI Coordinated Health to residents age 21 and older who are enrolled in both Medicare and full Michigan Medicaid, are not in hospice care, and are not living in a state-operated veterans' home. In 2026, the plan is available only in Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, Macomb, St. Joseph, Van Buren, and Wayne counties, plus most of the Upper Peninsula, with statewide access planned for 2027. Michigan dual eligibles living outside these counties can still enroll in a Medicare Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), such as a UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete or Humana Dual Integrated plan, which coordinates with Michigan Medicaid but is not as tightly integrated as MI Coordinated Health.
Michigan's Medicare Savings Programs: QMB, SLMB, and QI
Michigan residents who have Medicare but do not qualify for full Medicaid can still get help through one of three Medicare Savings Programs that MDHHS administers under its BEM 165 policy manual. The Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program pays Michigan Medicare Part A and Part B premiums plus all Medicare cost-sharing, deductibles, coinsurance, and copays, and QMB enrollees cannot be billed for Medicare-covered services. QMB combined with full Medicaid, called QMB Plus, is the main path to full dual eligibility and MI Coordinated Health enrollment.
Michigan's Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) program pays only the Part B premium for residents with income up to 120% of the Federal Poverty Level, roughly $1,616 a month for one person in 2026, while the Qualifying Individual (QI) program pays the Part B premium up to 135% FPL, about $1,816 a month for one person, on a first-come, first-served basis with limited federal funding each year. Michigan's 2026 asset limit for all three programs is $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple, tighter than the $16,590 and $33,100 resource limits used for the separate Extra Help prescription drug subsidy.
How to Apply for Dual Eligible Benefits in Michigan
Michigan residents apply for Medicaid, a Medicare Savings Program, or MI Coordinated Health through MI Bridges, the state's online benefits portal, or by contacting a local MDHHS office directly. Beneficiaries who are already dual eligible and live in a covered county can enroll in MI Coordinated Health at any time during the year by calling Michigan ENROLLS or a plan directly, since dual eligible enrollment has no fixed annual window like Medicare's fall Open Enrollment.
Common Reasons Dual Eligibility Applications Get Denied in Michigan
Michigan applicants for a Medicare Savings Program or full Medicaid are turned down for a handful of predictable reasons that are often fixable on a second try. Reviewing the list below before applying through MI Bridges can save weeks of processing time.
- Household income above the QMB, SLMB, or QI limit for the household size once all income is combined
- Countable assets above $9,950 (single) or $14,910 (couple) in 2026, often from an unexcluded retirement or investment account
- Not yet enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B at the time of application
- Living in a county not yet covered by MI Coordinated Health in 2026, before the planned 2027 statewide expansion
- Missing income statements, bank and asset records, or proof of household composition
How to Appeal a Denial in Michigan
Michigan residents denied a Medicare Savings Program or Medicaid have 90 days from the notice date to request an MDHHS administrative hearing, and coverage can continue during the appeal if the request comes within 10 days of the denial notice. Free help with an appeal is available from Michigan's MMAP counselors, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, at 1-800-803-7174, or from a local Area Agency on Aging.
Healthy Michigan Plan and Medicaid Expansion: Why Michigan Has No ACA Gap
Michigan expanded Medicaid under the ACA through the Healthy Michigan Plan on April 1, 2014, covering adults ages 19 to 64 with income up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level, about $22,025 a year for one person in 2026. Because Michigan expanded Medicaid, the state has no ACA coverage gap, unlike the 10 non-expansion states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, where adults between Medicaid and marketplace subsidy eligibility can fall through the cracks.
Most Michigan dual eligibles qualify for Medicaid through a different, non-MAGI path tied to age 65 or disability rather than through the Healthy Michigan Plan's MAGI-based expansion group, though a smaller number of dual eligibles under 65 with a disability move from Healthy Michigan Plan coverage onto Medicare after a 24-month waiting period. MDHHS, the same agency that runs Healthy Michigan Plan, also determines non-MAGI Medicaid eligibility for seniors and people with disabilities and administers the Medicare Savings Programs and MI Coordinated Health.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a dual eligible in Michigan?
A dual eligible is a Michigan resident enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid at the same time. Full dual eligibles have both Medicare and full Michigan Medicaid benefits, while partial duals only get help with Medicare premiums and cost-sharing through the QMB, SLMB, or QI Medicare Savings Program. More than 300,000 Michigan residents are dual eligible in 2026.
What is the income limit for Medicare Savings Programs in Michigan in 2026?
In 2026, the Michigan QMB income limit is about $1,350 a month for one person or $1,824 for a couple, at 100% of the Federal Poverty Level. SLMB goes up to about $1,616 single or $2,184 married at 120% FPL, and QI reaches about $1,816 single or $2,455 married at 135% FPL. The asset limit for all three programs is $9,950 single or $14,910 married.
What is MI Coordinated Health and who can enroll?
MI Coordinated Health is Michigan's new Highly Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan, launched January 1, 2026, that combines Medicare and full Medicaid into one plan with one card and one care coordinator. Michigan residents age 21 and older who are full dual eligibles and live in one of 10 named counties or most of the Upper Peninsula can enroll, with statewide access starting in 2027.
What happened to MI Health Link?
MI Health Link, Michigan's original Medicare-Medicaid demonstration program, ended December 31, 2025, after operating for over a decade in southwest Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. MI Coordinated Health replaced it starting January 1, 2026, under the federal Highly Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan framework, and MI Health Link members could move into the new plan with no break in coverage.
What is the difference between QMB, SLMB, and QI in Michigan?
QMB pays Michigan Medicare beneficiaries' Part A and B premiums plus all cost-sharing and deductibles, and QMB enrollees cannot be billed for Medicare services. SLMB and QI only pay the Part B premium, at higher income limits than QMB, and neither covers Medicare cost-sharing. Only QMB combined with full Medicaid, called QMB Plus, leads to full dual eligibility and MI Coordinated Health enrollment.
Is Michigan a Medicaid expansion state, and does that matter for dual eligibles?
Yes. Michigan expanded Medicaid on April 1, 2014, through the Healthy Michigan Plan, covering adults up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level. Expansion mainly affects adults under 65 without a disability, since most dual eligibles qualify for Medicaid through Michigan's separate non-MAGI aged and disabled category, but expansion means Michigan has no ACA coverage gap for anyone approaching Medicare eligibility.
What documents do I need to apply for dual eligible benefits in Michigan?
Michigan applicants need a Medicare card showing Part A and B enrollment, a Social Security number, proof of Michigan residency, proof of income such as a Social Security award letter or pension statement, bank and asset statements, and household composition information. Applying through MI Bridges can pull some records automatically, but income and asset verification is still required.
What happens if my Medicare Savings Program application is denied in Michigan?
A Michigan resident denied a Medicare Savings Program or Medicaid has 90 days from the notice date to request an MDHHS administrative hearing, and can ask for continued coverage during the appeal if the request comes within 10 days of the denial notice. Free appeal help is available from an MMAP counselor at 1-800-803-7174.
