What Is Considered “low Income” to Medicare?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 06, 2020

There are multiple tiers of low income classifications under the Medicare system, all of which use the federal poverty level as a base line. At the first tier, an individual or couple’s assets and income must fall under 100 percent of the federal poverty level.

The Low-Income Subsidy program, as of 2014, classified this first tier as individuals earning less than $973 per month and couples earning less than $1,311 month. Assets must also be at or below $7,160 for a single person and $10,750 for couples. The next tier of low-income classification falls between 100 percent and 135 percent of the federal poverty level.