Medicare by State
Free Medicare Help Maine: SHIP Counseling, Buy-in Limits and DEL
Maine SHIP gives free, confidential Medicare counseling through five Area Agencies on Aging at 1-877-353-3771. MaineCare’s Buy-in can pay your $202.90 Part B premium with 2026 income up to $3,325 a month for one person, and there is no asset test.
- Maine SHIP counseling is free through five Area Agencies on Aging at 1-877-353-3771.
- Maine’s 2026 QMB limit is $2,461 a month (185% FPL) and its QI limit is $3,325 (250% FPL) for one person.
- MaineCare’s guidelines say there is no asset test for QMB, QI or Drugs for the Elderly and Disabled.
- DEL members pay 20% of a drug’s cost plus a $2.00 copay, per the state’s April 2026 guide.
Table of Contents
Free Medicare help Maine residents can use is unusually generous. The Maine State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) gives free, confidential counseling through five Area Agencies on Aging, reached at 1-877-353-3771. And Maine’s Medicare Savings Programs reach much higher incomes than most states’, with no asset test at all. This guide covers who to call, the 2026 MaineCare limits, the state’s Drugs for the Elderly and Disabled program, and how to apply.
Free Medicare help Maine offers: the programs at a glance
| Program | Run by | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Maine SHIP | Office of Aging and Disability Services, the five Area Agencies on Aging and Legal Services for Maine Elders | Free, confidential Medicare counseling and help enrolling in cost programs |
| Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) | Legal Services for Maine Elders and the Area Agencies on Aging | Helps you spot and report Medicare and MaineCare errors and fraud |
| Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, QI) | MaineCare, through the Office for Family Independence (OFI) | Part B premium; QMB also pays copays, coinsurance and deductibles |
| Drugs for the Elderly and Disabled (DEL) | MaineCare | State discount on prescription drugs |
| Extra Help | Social Security and Medicare | Lowers Part D premiums, deductibles and copays |
You can qualify for more than one. A Maine SHIP counselor can check them all with you, so counseling is the natural first step in any search for free Medicare help Maine residents can trust. People often skip the Medicare Savings Program Maine offers because they assume it is only for very low incomes. As the limits below show, that is not true here.
Maine SHIP: free, confidential Medicare counseling
The state’s SHIP and Medicare Assistance page says trained health insurance counselors are available throughout Maine, and that SHIP counselors do not sell insurance or recommend policies. The program is sponsored by the Office of Aging and Disability Services, Maine’s five Area Agencies on Aging and Legal Services for Maine Elders. Counselors can also help you enroll in the Medicare Savings Programs.
How to reach a counselor. Call the Aging & Disability Resource Center at 1-877-353-3771. The state’s Area Agencies on Aging page says this number connects you to your local agency by county. You can also call your agency directly:
| Area Agency on Aging | Counties served | Toll-free |
|---|---|---|
| Aroostook Area Agency on Aging | Aroostook | 1-800-439-1789 |
| Eastern Agency on Aging | Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Washington | 1-800-432-7812 |
| Spectrum Generations | Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, plus Harpswell and Brunswick | 1-800-639-1553 |
| SeniorsPlus | Androscoggin, Franklin, Oxford | 1-800-427-1241 |
| Southern Maine Agency on Aging | York and Cumberland (except Harpswell and Brunswick) | 1-800-427-7411 |
The state page also notes that Legal Services for Maine Elders runs a Medicare Part D appeals unit at no cost. Its website lists a helpline at 1-800-750-5353. Book Maine SHIP a few months before you turn 65, before Open Enrollment ends on December 7, or whenever money gets tight.
2026 Medicare Savings Program Maine limits: higher than most states
The Medicare Savings Program Maine runs is called the Buy-in. MaineCare’s 2026 Eligibility Guidelines list two levels:
| Level | Income test | 1 person, per month | 2 people, per month | Asset test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) | 185% FPL | $2,461 | $3,337 | None |
| QI (Qualified Individual) | 250% FPL | $3,325 | $4,509 | None |
For comparison, many states set QMB at 100% of the poverty level, which the same guidelines show as $1,330 a month for one person. Maine’s QMB limit is 185%, and its QI limit is 250%. The guidelines list QMB and QI only, with no separate SLMB row.
Both levels say “No asset test.” Savings, a home or a car don’t count. Full MaineCare for people 65 or older is different: it has a $2,000 asset limit for one person or $3,000 for a couple, after up to $8,000 or $12,000 of savings is excluded.
Figures are from MaineCare’s 2026 Eligibility Guidelines and CMS as of October 15, 2026, and are shown for illustration only. They are not quotes or offers, and they can change. Confirm current numbers with the Office for Family Independence or a licensed agent.
What each level pays. The guidelines and the state’s April 2026 Guide to MaineCare Programs describe them this way:
- QMB: pays Part B monthly premiums plus Medicare copays, coinsurance and deductibles, and may also pay Part A premiums. In 2026, that is the $202.90 Part B premium and the $283 Part B deductible, per the CMS fact sheet.
- QI: pays Part B monthly premiums. You can’t get other MaineCare benefits while on QI.
Both require you to be entitled to Medicare Part A and B. Both also bring federal Extra Help automatically, per Medicare.gov. That matters in Maine: Extra Help’s own 2026 income limit is $23,940 a year, but QI reaches $3,325 a month, or $39,900 a year for one person. Maine’s Buy-in can unlock Extra Help for people who would not qualify on their own.
Drugs for the Elderly and Disabled, Maine Rx Plus and Extra Help
Drugs for the Elderly and Disabled (DEL). The 2026 guidelines describe DEL as a discount drug program for people 62 and older, or with a disability, who aren’t eligible for MaineCare. The income limit is 185% FPL: $2,461 a month for one person or $3,337 for two, with no asset test.
The state’s guide says people on DEL pay 20% of the cost of their medicine plus a $2.00 copay, and must sign up for Medicare Part D if they can get it. A DEL Plus level uses a higher income limit for households spending at least 40% of gross income on prescriptions.
Maine Rx Plus. The guidelines list this discount drug program for people over income for MaineCare, up to 350% FPL ($4,655 a month for one person), with no asset test.
Extra Help. Medicare.gov lists 2026 limits of $23,940 in income and $18,090 in resources for one person, or $32,460 and $36,100 for a couple. For 2027, copays are up to $5.80 per generic and $14.40 per brand-name drug. Apply through Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). See our Medicare Extra Help guide and Medicare Part D guide.
Hypothetical example: what free Medicare help Maine offers could be worth
Hypothetical example. Two neighbors in Bangor each have Original Medicare and live alone. Each has about $60,000 in savings, which doesn’t matter because Maine’s Buy-in has no asset test.
Margaret’s Social Security is $2,300 a month. That is within the $2,461 QMB limit.
- Part B premium paid: $202.90 a month, or $202.90 × 12 = $2,434.80 a year.
- Part B deductible covered: $283.
- Total for those two items: $2,434.80 + $283 = $2,717.80 a year, before counting coinsurance and Extra Help drug savings.
George receives $3,100 a month from Social Security and a pension. That is above the QMB limit but within the $3,325 QI limit. QI pays his Part B premium: $202.90 a month, or $2,434.80 a year. He also gets Extra Help, even though his $37,200 yearly income ($3,100 × 12) is above Extra Help’s own $23,940 limit.
These are illustrations, not eligibility decisions. Only MaineCare can decide. But they show how far free Medicare help Maine provides can reach.
How to apply in Maine
The state’s guide says to apply for MaineCare, including the Buy-in, through the Office for Family Independence:
- Online: My Maine Connection at MyMaineConnection.gov.
- By phone: OFI Eligibility at 1-855-797-4357. The OFI page lists hours of Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- By mail: 114 Corn Shop Lane, Farmington, ME 04938.
- By email: farmington.dhhs@maine.gov.
Have your Medicare card and proof of income ready. Ask OFI or your SHIP counselor whether to apply for DEL at the same time. A Maine SHIP counselor can help with the forms at no charge, which is often the most practical free Medicare help Maine has to offer. Our guide to the Part B late enrollment penalty explains why you shouldn’t drop Part B to save money.
Reporting Medicare fraud in Maine
The state page says the Senior Medicare Patrol’s mission is to educate consumers about Medicare and MaineCare and help reduce errors, fraud, waste and abuse. Contact Legal Services for Maine Elders or your local Aging & Disability Resource Center. The national SMP Resource Center lists the Maine SMP at 1-877-353-3771.
Medicare.gov says to call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) about suspected fraud, or 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379) about a Medicare Advantage or drug plan. Medicare will never call to sell you anything or visit your home.
Checklist: getting free Medicare help in Maine
- Call 1-877-353-3771 to reach Maine SHIP through your Area Agency on Aging.
- Compare your monthly income with $2,461 (QMB) and $3,325 (QI) for one person.
- Remember: no asset test for the Buy-in or DEL.
- Apply through My Maine Connection or OFI at 1-855-797-4357.
- Ask about Drugs for the Elderly and Disabled and Maine Rx Plus if drug costs are high.
- Check your sign-up window with our Medicare enrollment calculator, and our IRMAA calculator if your income is high.
- Read every Medicare Summary Notice and call the SMP about anything odd.
Free Medicare help Maine: frequently asked questions
What is the SHIP phone number in Maine?
The state lists 1-877-353-3771, the Aging & Disability Resource Center line, which connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging.
What are the 2026 Medicare Savings Program income limits in Maine?
MaineCare’s 2026 guidelines list $2,461 a month for QMB and $3,325 for QI for one person, or $3,337 and $4,509 for two.
Does Maine have an asset test for the Medicare Savings Programs?
No. The 2026 guidelines say “No asset test” for both QMB and QI.
Who can get Drugs for the Elderly and Disabled?
People 62 or older, or with a disability, who aren’t eligible for MaineCare and have income up to 185% FPL ($2,461 a month for one person). There is no asset test.
Can I apply online?
Yes. The state’s guide points to My Maine Connection at MyMaineConnection.gov, or call OFI at 1-855-797-4357.
Does SHIP help with life insurance?
No. SHIP covers Medicare and related coverage. For Maine life insurance rules, see our life insurance Maine guide.
Talk with a licensed agent after you get free help
Octans Insurance is an independent agency based in Massachusetts. Our licensed agents compare plans from 120+ carriers, at no fee to you, and we’re glad to work alongside your SHIP counselor. Call (617) 935-9220. For free, unbiased counseling, call Maine SHIP at 1-877-353-3771, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Keep Reading: Related Guides
- Life insurance in Maine
- Medicare Extra Help
- Medicare IRMAA calculator
- Medicare enrollment calculator
- Medicare Supplement rates in Maine
- Medicare Advantage plans in Maine (2027)
- Unclaimed life insurance in Maine
- Maine Medicaid burial rules
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
This article is for general information and is not tax, legal, or medical advice.
About examples and tools: Hypothetical examples, sample rates, calculators and quizzes on this site are for general educational and illustrative purposes only. They are not quotes, offers of coverage, or guarantees of eligibility, approval, price or benefits, and they are not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. The insurance company decides eligibility and price; Medicare rules are set by CMS and the Social Security Administration. Octans Insurance is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
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