Michigan has more than 2.2 million Medicare beneficiaries, and a meaningful share of them qualify for Extra Help, the federal Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) that pays most of the Part D premium, waives the deductible, and caps drug copays. The income and resource limits are set nationally by the Social Security Administration, but Michigan residents have a distinct path into the program through the Healthy Michigan Plan and MDHHS, the state's Medicaid agency, which automatically deems many low-income Michiganders eligible.
Michigan residents will find the exact 2026 Extra Help income limits by household size below, along with how Healthy Michigan Plan enrollment or an MDHHS-run Medicare Savings Program grants automatic eligibility, and the step-by-step application process for those who need to apply directly. For income limits on Michigan's Medicaid program itself, see Medicaid income limits. To check multiple programs at once, use the Benefits Screener.
Direct Answer for Michigan Residents
Yes. Michigan Medicare beneficiaries qualify for Extra Help in 2026 with income under $23,940 (single) or $32,460 (married) and resources under $16,590 (single) or $33,100 (married). Michigan residents already enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan, traditional Medicaid, SSI, or an MDHHS Medicare Savings Program are deemed eligible automatically. Everyone else applies through MI Bridges or Social Security.
Michigan Extra Help Income Limits by Household Size (2026)
Michigan Medicare beneficiaries use the same nationwide Extra Help income thresholds that apply in all 48 contiguous states and Washington D.C., since Michigan is not Alaska or Hawaii, the two states with higher federal poverty guidelines. The table below shows the 2026 limits at 150% of the Federal Poverty Level for every family size, along with the monthly equivalent Michigan applicants can compare against a pay stub, Social Security award letter, or pension statement.
Michigan Extra Help Resource (Asset) Limits in 2026
Michigan applicants must also pass a federal resource test for Extra Help itself: countable assets below $16,590 for a single person or $33,100 for a married couple in 2026. Countable resources include checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and retirement accounts not yet in payout status. A Michigan applicant's home, one vehicle, and personal belongings do not count toward this federal limit.
Michigan residents who notify Social Security of a burial set-aside see the federal resource limit rise to $18,090 single or $36,100 married in 2026, excluding up to $1,500 per person set aside for burial expenses from the countable total. This federal Extra Help resource test is separate from, and more generous than, the asset limits MDHHS uses for its own Medicare Savings Programs, covered next.
MDHHS Medicare Savings Programs and Automatic Eligibility in Michigan
MDHHS, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, runs the state's Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, and QI) under policy manual BEM 165, and enrollment in any of these three programs automatically deems a Michigan Medicare beneficiary eligible for Extra Help, with no separate Social Security application required. In 2026, MDHHS uses SSI-related countable net income rather than a simple gross-income test, so a Michigan applicant's actual countable income can be lower than gross pay once standard disregards are applied.
MDHHS sets its 2026 Medicare Savings Program income limits at roughly $1,350 a month single or $1,824 married for QMB (100% of the Federal Poverty Level), up to about $1,616 single or $2,184 married for SLMB (120% FPL), and up to about $1,816 single or $2,455 married for QI (135% FPL). Michigan's own Medicare Savings Program asset limits, about $9,950 single and $14,910 married in 2026 under BEM 165, are tighter than the $16,590 and $33,100 federal Extra Help resource limits, so a Michigan resident can still qualify for Extra Help directly through Social Security even after being turned down for an MDHHS Medicare Savings Program on assets.
How Michigan Residents Apply for Extra Help
Michigan residents who are not already deemed eligible through the Healthy Michigan Plan, traditional Medicaid, SSI, or an MDHHS Medicare Savings Program can apply for Extra Help through two channels: directly with Social Security, or through MI Bridges, the state's joint benefits portal, which screens for Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs, and Extra Help together in one application.
Common Reasons Extra Help Applications Get Denied in Michigan
Michigan applicants who apply directly through Social Security or MI Bridges are denied for a handful of predictable reasons, most of which can be corrected and resubmitted. Household income or countable resources over the federal limit are the two most common causes, followed by missing documentation of income or household composition.
- Household income above 150% FPL once all household members' income is combined
- Countable resources above $16,590 (single) or $33,100 (married), often from an unexcluded retirement account
- Not yet enrolled in Medicare Part A or Part B at the time of application
- Missing Michigan bank statements, tax documents, or proof of household composition
- Failure to respond to a Social Security or MDHHS request for additional information within the given window
How to Appeal a Denial in Michigan
Michigan residents denied Extra Help by Social Security have 60 days to request reconsideration in writing, either by mail or at a local Social Security field office. If a denial came through MDHHS because the application was filed through MI Bridges, the applicant can request an MDHHS administrative hearing within 90 days of the notice, and free help is available from a local Area Agency on Aging or an MMAP counselor, Michigan's State Health Insurance Assistance Program.
Healthy Michigan Plan Context: Michigan's Medicaid Expansion
Healthy Michigan Plan launched April 1, 2014, as Michigan's ACA Medicaid expansion, covering adults ages 19 to 64 with income at or below 133% of the Federal Poverty Level, which functions as 138% FPL ($22,025 for an individual in 2026) once the standard 5% income disregard is applied. Because Michigan expanded Medicaid, the state does not have the ACA coverage gap that exists in the 10 non-expansion states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming).
MDHHS has run Michigan Medicaid since 2015, when it absorbed the former Department of Community Health, and today covers roughly 2.4 million Michiganders, including Healthy Michigan Plan enrollees, low-income families, pregnant women, children, and seniors. For Medicare beneficiaries specifically, MDHHS also runs the state's Medicare Savings Programs, which pay Part B premiums and, for QMB enrollees, cost-sharing, and which double as an automatic gateway into Extra Help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Extra Help income limit for a family of 4 in Michigan in 2026?
In 2026, a Michigan household of 4 qualifies for Extra Help with income below $49,500 a year ($4,125 a month). This is the same nationwide limit used in every state except Alaska and Hawaii, since Extra Help thresholds are set federally by Social Security rather than by MDHHS.
What counts as income for Extra Help in Michigan?
Extra Help counts gross income before taxes, including Social Security benefits, wages, pensions, and rental income, with a few exclusions. This differs from MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income), the calculation the Healthy Michigan Plan and ACA marketplace subsidies use, and it also differs from the net-income test MDHHS Medicare Savings Programs use with SSI-related disregards, so a Michigan resident's Extra Help eligibility can differ from Medicaid eligibility even at similar income levels.
What documents do Michigan applicants need for Extra Help?
Michigan applicants need a Social Security number or Medicare card, recent tax returns or W-2s, bank and investment statements, proof of any other income, proof of Michigan residency, and household composition documentation. Applying through MI Bridges can pull some records automatically, but income and asset statements are still required.
What happens if my Extra Help application is denied in Michigan?
A Michigan applicant denied by Social Security has 60 days to request reconsideration in writing. If denied through MDHHS after applying via MI Bridges, the applicant can request an MDHHS administrative hearing within 90 days. Free help is available from an MMAP counselor or a local Area Agency on Aging.
Can I work and still get Extra Help in Michigan?
Yes, working does not disqualify a Michigan resident from Extra Help as long as total gross household income stays below the 2026 limit for the household size, $23,940 for one person or $32,460 for a couple. Wages are counted as income the same as Social Security or pension income.
Is Michigan a Medicaid expansion state, and does that matter for Extra Help?
Yes. Michigan expanded Medicaid under the ACA on April 1, 2014, through the Healthy Michigan Plan, covering adults up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level ($22,025 for an individual in 2026). Because Michigan expanded, there is no ACA coverage gap, and many Healthy Michigan Plan adults who later enroll in Medicare are deemed automatically eligible for Extra Help.
How long does the Extra Help application take for Michigan residents?
Social Security typically decides an Extra Help application within 30 to 60 days of receiving all required documents. Applications submitted through MI Bridges that also screen for Medicaid can take a similar timeframe, since MDHHS coordinates its determination with the federal Extra Help decision.
What is the difference between the Healthy Michigan Plan and Medicare Extra Help?
The Healthy Michigan Plan is Michigan's state Medicaid expansion program, covering low-income adults ages 19 to 64 for medical, dental, and behavioral health services. Medicare Extra Help is a separate federal program that only reduces Medicare Part D prescription drug costs. Michiganders enrolled in an MDHHS Medicare Savings Program get Extra Help automatically as a bonus benefit.
