What are Oklahoma's rules?
Medicare Savings Programs are part of SoonerCare, Oklahoma's Medicaid program, run by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA), which calls them SoonerCare Supplemental. Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) decides eligibility for people who are 65 or older, blind or disabled. Oklahoma looks at two things: your countable income and your countable resources. Unlike some states, Oklahoma keeps a resource test.
OKDHS publishes its limits in Appendix C-1, Maximum Income, Resource, and Payment Standards. For 2026 they match the federal limits on Medicare.gov exactly, and the income limits already include the monthly disregard OKDHS subtracts first. The rules are in the Oklahoma Administrative Code at OAC 317:35-7-40 (QMB, which OKDHS and OHCA call Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Plus, or QMBP), 317:35-7-43 (SLMB) and 317:35-7-46 (QI-1).
| Program | Income (federal poverty level) | Monthly limit, one person | Monthly limit, couple | What SoonerCare pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QMB (Appendix C-1, Schedule VI) | Up to 100% | $1,350 | $1,824 | Part B premium, any Part A premium, Medicare deductibles and coinsurance |
| SLMB (Schedule VII) | Up to 120% | $1,616 | $2,184 | Part B premium |
| QI-1 (Schedule VII.A) | Up to 135% | $1,816 | $2,455 | Part B premium, only for people not eligible for full-benefit SoonerCare |
Resource limit for all three programs in 2026: $9,950 for one person, $14,910 for a couple.
How does OKDHS count income and savings?
OKDHS compares your countable income to the limit. If your Part B premium is taken out of your Social Security check, add it back: OKDHS counts your income before that deduction, which is why the screener asks for gross income. Income from work is treated more generously: OKDHS says more than half of employment income, before taxes, doesn't count. That is why the screener tells working people to apply even if they look over the limit.
For resources, OKDHS doesn't count your home and furnishings, your car, or a prepaid funeral trust up to a set amount. Bank accounts, certificates of deposit, stocks, bonds, the cash value of life insurance and property other than your home generally do count; OKDHS asks for statements for each. OKDHS makes the decision; the screener only tells you whether applying is likely to be worth it.
Does Extra Help come with it?
Yes. Everyone who qualifies for QMB, SLMB or QI-1 also gets Extra Help, the federal program that lowers Part D premiums, deductibles and copays. If your income or savings are above the savings program limits, you may still fit Extra Help: in 2026 its income limit is $23,940 a year for one person ($32,460 for a married couple), and its resource limit is $16,590 for one person or $33,100 for a couple, higher than Oklahoma's savings program limit. You apply for Extra Help on its own with Social Security. See the drug cap estimator for what Extra Help copays add up to.
How do I apply in Oklahoma?
- Apply with Oklahoma Human Services. Apply online through OKDHSLive (okdhslive.org), which OKDHS points people 65 and older or with disabilities to, or at your county's OKDHS Human Services Center. You can also download the Request for Benefits form from the OKDHS website and take or mail it to your local office.
- Have proof ready. Your Social Security award letter, pension statements, recent pay stubs, and bank, life insurance, stock, bond and CD statements, vehicle titles, and the title and mortgage statement for any property other than your home.
- Complete the interview. OKDHS interviews applicants, in person or sometimes by phone.
- Watch for the decision. OKDHS mails a notice. If you're approved, SoonerCare starts paying your Part B premium, and the amount stops coming out of your Social Security check after the change goes through.
Approval for a savings program doesn't change your Medicare plan by itself. If you also get full SoonerCare, you may have more plan choices and enrollment periods; read SoonerCare and Medicare, Medicare Savings Programs in Oklahoma and dual eligible special needs plans in Oklahoma. Late-enrollment penalties are covered on the penalty calculator. General SoonerCare questions go to the SoonerCare Helpline at 1-800-987-7767.
Sources
- Oklahoma Human Services — Appendix C-1, Maximum Income, Resource, and Payment Standards (Schedules VI, VII and VII.A), revised July 1, 2026
- Oklahoma Health Care Authority — OAC 317:35-7-40, Eligibility as Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Plus
- Oklahoma Health Care Authority — SoonerCare Supplemental (QMB, SLMB, QI-1 and how to apply)
- Oklahoma Human Services — Help paying Medicare costs (income counting and resources not counted)
- Oklahoma Human Services — Program FAQs (OKDHSLive, interviews and proofs)
- Medicare.gov — Medicare Savings Programs (2026 income limits)
- Social Security — Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs
Frequently asked questions
Does Oklahoma have an asset limit for Medicare Savings Programs?
Yes. OKDHS's Appendix C-1 (revised July 1, 2026) sets the resource standard for QMB, SLMB and QI-1 at $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple. OKDHS doesn't count your home and furnishings, your car, or a prepaid funeral trust up to a set amount.
What income qualifies for QMB in Oklahoma?
Countable income at or below 100% of the federal poverty level plus the monthly disregard: $1,350 a month for one person or $1,824 for a married couple in 2026, per OKDHS Appendix C-1, Schedule VI. QMB pays the Part B premium, any Part A premium, and Medicare deductibles and coinsurance.
Where do I apply in Oklahoma?
With Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS): online through OKDHSLive, or at an OKDHS Human Services Center, where you can also turn in the paper Request for Benefits form. OKDHS interviews you in person or by phone. If you qualify for any Medicare Savings Program, you also get Extra Help with Part D drug costs automatically.
I'm still working. Does my paycheck count the same way?
No. OKDHS says more than half of income from a job, before taxes, doesn't count toward the limit. So working people can qualify with gross pay above the limits this screener shows. If you work, apply even if the screener says you are over.
My savings are over the limit. Is there any other help?
Possibly. Extra Help, which Social Security runs, has a higher resource limit of $16,590 for one person or $33,100 for a couple in 2026. The screener checks it for you.
Medicare in your Oklahoma county
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