Medicare by State
Free Medicare Help Ohio: OSHIIP Counseling and 2026 Cost-Saving Programs
OSHIIP has trained more than 800 volunteers and reports helping Ohioans save over $77 million in 2025. Ohio Medicaid’s Medicare Premium Assistance Program can pay your $202.90 Part B premium if your countable income is under $1,796 a month and savings stay within $9,950.
- OSHIIP’s free hotline is 1-800-686-1578, weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and it also offers one-hour video visits over Microsoft Teams.
- Ohio’s 2026 monthly limits for one person are $1,330 for QMB, $1,596 for SLMB and $1,796 for QI-1.
- Ohio keeps an asset test for these programs: $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple in 2026.
- QMB in Ohio has no retroactive coverage, while SLMB and QI-1 can reach back up to three months.
Table of Contents
Free Medicare help Ohio residents can use comes from two state-run sources. The Ohio Department of Insurance runs OSHIIP, a free counseling service with trained volunteers, and the Ohio Department of Medicaid runs the Medicare Premium Assistance Program, which can pay your Part B premium and more. This guide covers how to reach a counselor, the 2026 income and resource limits, what each program pays, how to apply, and where to report Medicare fraud. It also shows, with a worked example, what the help can be worth in dollars.
Free Medicare help Ohio offers: the programs at a glance
Ohio splits free Medicare help between counseling and cost help. Here is who does what:
| Program | Run by | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| OSHIIP (Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program) | Ohio Department of Insurance | Free, unbiased one-on-one Medicare counseling, events and literature |
| Medicare Premium Assistance Program (QMB, SLMB, QI-1) | Ohio Department of Medicaid, through county Job and Family Services | Pays the Part B premium; QMB also pays deductibles, coinsurance and copays |
| Extra Help (Part D Low-Income Subsidy) | Social Security and Medicare | Lowers drug plan premiums, deductibles and copays |
| Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol (Ohio SMP) | Pro Seniors, Inc. | Helps you spot and report Medicare errors, fraud and abuse |
Ohio calls its Medicare Savings Programs the Medicare Premium Assistance Program, or MPAP. If you search for a Medicare Savings Program Ohio offers and find “MPAP” instead, it is the same thing. The state’s MPAP brochure says it helps Ohioans pay Medicare premiums, deductibles, coinsurance and copayments.
OSHIIP: free Ohio Medicare counseling from the Department of Insurance
OSHIIP is Ohio’s version of the federal State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). The Department of Insurance’s OSHIIP page says the program has been part of the department since 1992 and has trained and certified more than 800 volunteers across the state. It reports that in 2025 OSHIIP helped Ohioans save more than $77 million.
Ohio Medicare counseling there covers Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, Medicare supplement insurance, long-term care insurance and programs that cut costs. The program also runs a speakers’ bureau and sends free literature, including shoppers’ guides.
Neutrality is part of the design. Its Medicare Checkup Events page states that, as a division of the Department of Insurance, it does not sell, rate, recommend or endorse insurance products. That makes it the most neutral source of free Medicare help Ohio has.
Good times to call:
- A few months before you turn 65 or before job-based coverage ends.
- During Open Enrollment, which ends December 7, to compare plans for next year.
- When your plan sends an Annual Notice of Change or a non-renewal letter.
- When money is tight and you want to be screened for the Medicare Premium Assistance Program or Extra Help.
The quickest route is the hotline, 1-800-686-1578. The Checkup Events page lists hours of 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can also email oshiipmail@insurance.ohio.gov. There are three ways to meet a counselor:
- By phone. Call the hotline for help on the spot or to be referred.
- By video. The events page says you can book a free, one-hour, one-on-one video appointment over Microsoft Teams. If your matter is urgent or video doesn’t work for you, call instead.
- In person. The program lists county events at senior centers, libraries and hospitals. Some are presentations; others offer one-on-one counseling by appointment, with an RSVP number for each.
The fall 2026 list includes, for example, counseling by appointment at the Twinsburg Community Center in Summit County on October 20, an event at the Adams County Senior Citizens Council in West Union on October 21, and a presentation at the Sylvania Senior Center in Lucas County on October 28. Events can change, so confirm with the venue first.
Counselors also work through local information sites. Its page names partners such as SourcePoint in Delaware County, the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging in Franklin County, and 50 North in Hancock County. If you can’t find a site near you, the hotline can route you.
2026 Medicare Savings Program Ohio income and resource limits
Ohio sets its limits by rule. Ohio Administrative Code 5160:1-3-02.1 sets QMB at 100% of the federal poverty level, SLMB above 100% up to 120%, and QI-1 above 120% up to 135%. The Ohio Department of Medicaid’s 2026 Medicaid Standards Help Sheet turns those percentages into dollars:
| Level | % of poverty level | Household of 1, per month | Household of 2, per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) | 100% | $1,330 | $1,804 |
| SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary) | 120% | $1,596 | $2,164 |
| QI-1 (Qualifying Individual) | 135% | $1,796 | $2,435 |
Ohio still has an asset test. The same help sheet lists an MPAP resource limit, effective January 1, 2026, of $9,950 for a single person and $14,910 for a couple. That matches the federal 2026 figures on Medicare.gov. Full Ohio Medicaid uses a much lower limit of $2,000 or $3,000.
Figures are from the Ohio Department of Medicaid’s 2026 Medicaid Standards Help Sheet (dated March 1, 2026) and are shown for illustration only. They are not quotes or offers, and they can change. Confirm current numbers with the Ohio Department of Medicaid or a licensed agent.
The table compares your countable income, not your gross. The Ohio rule applies the standard Medicaid income exclusions, including a $20 general exclusion and the first $65 of earned income. For a married couple, those two exclusions are applied only once.
The rule includes an Ohio-specific timing break. Social Security raises its benefits each January, but the new poverty guidelines arrive later in the year. Ohio deducts the annual cost-of-living increase from your income from January through the end of the month after the new guidelines are published. In plain terms, a January raise alone shouldn’t push you over a limit early in the year.
Ohio’s rule also sets different start dates:
- QMB: no retroactive coverage. Benefits start the first day of the month after approval.
- SLMB and QI-1: eligibility can begin up to three months before the month you apply, if you met every rule, including Part A enrollment, in those months.
Because QMB doesn’t reach back, apply as soon as you think you might qualify. Delay can cost you months of free Medicare help Ohio would otherwise pay.
What each level pays, and how Extra Help fits in
Under Ohio’s rule, QMB pays the Part B premium, the Part A premium when one is charged, and Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copays. SLMB and QI-1 pay the Part B premium only. The rule also notes that Part D drug coverage is not part of MPAP.
That gap is filled by Extra Help. Medicare.gov says you get Extra Help automatically if your state pays your Part B premium through a Medicare Savings Program, or if you have full Medicaid or SSI. So approval for the Medicare Savings Program Ohio runs brings drug help with it.
If your income is too high for QI-1, you can still apply for Extra Help through Social Security. Medicare.gov lists 2026 limits of $23,940 a year in income and $18,090 in resources for one person, or $32,460 and $36,100 for a married couple. For 2027, it lists copays of up to $5.80 for generics and $14.40 for brand-name drugs. Our Medicare Extra Help guide and Medicare Part D guide explain the details.
Hypothetical example: what free Medicare help Ohio offers is worth
Hypothetical example. Two neighbors in Dayton each live alone, have Original Medicare, and have savings under $9,950. Their only income is Social Security. We use the 2026 Part B premium of $202.90 a month and the $283 deductible from the CMS fact sheet.
Carol gets $1,320 a month. Countable income: $1,320 − $20 = $1,300. That is at or below the $1,330 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: $2,434.80 + $283 = $2,717.80 a year, before the 20% Part B coinsurance QMB also covers.
Walt gets $1,600 a month. Countable income: $1,600 − $20 = $1,580. That is above the QMB limit but at or below the $1,596 SLMB limit. SLMB pays his premium: $202.90 a month, or $2,434.80 a year. If he met every rule in the three months before he applied, retroactive help could add $202.90 × 3 = $608.70.
Both would get Extra Help automatically. This is an illustration, not an eligibility decision; only the Ohio Department of Medicaid can decide.
How to apply for the Medicare Savings Program Ohio offers
The Department of Medicaid’s brochure lists three ways to apply:
- Online at Benefits.Ohio.Gov.
- By phone through the Medicaid Consumer Hotline at (800) 324-8680, which also helps with completing an application.
- In person at your County Department of Job and Family Services. Find your office at JFS.Ohio.Gov/County.
Before you start, gather your Social Security award letter, pension statements, bank statements and your Medicare card. Your county worker may ask you to verify income. Answer any request quickly and keep copies.
OSHIIP volunteers can walk you through the form for free. That is often the most useful kind of free Medicare help Ohio residents can get, because a counselor can check the MPAP limits, the asset test and Extra Help in one call.
Want to know when you can join or switch plans after approval? Our Medicare enrollment calculator shows your windows. If your income is high instead, the IRMAA calculator estimates any surcharge on your premiums.
OSHIIP vs a licensed agent, and how to report fraud
We are a licensed agency, so here is a fair comparison:
| Question | OSHIIP | Licensed agent (such as Octans) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to you | Free | No fee to you |
| Who pays them | A state program within the Department of Insurance | Insurance companies pay commission |
| Recommends products | No; it does not sell, rate or endorse | Yes, from carriers it is appointed with |
| Help with MPAP and Extra Help | A core service | Can explain and refer |
| Life or final expense insurance | Outside its scope | Yes |
Many people use state counselors for an unbiased review and cost-help screening, then an agent for quotes. If advice conflicts, ask why. See how we get paid.
Reporting fraud. The Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol, hosted by Pro Seniors, Inc., helps people guard against, spot and report Medicare fraud, errors and abuse. Its contact page lists toll-free 1-800-293-4767, and the national SMP locator lists the same number. Medicare.gov says you can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). For insurance fraud, the Department of Insurance lists its Fraud & Enforcement line at 1-800-686-1527.
Checklist: using the free Medicare help Ohio offers
- Call OSHIIP at 1-800-686-1578, or book a Teams video visit or a local event.
- Add up your gross monthly income and subtract $20 to estimate countable income.
- Compare it with the 2026 limits: $1,330, $1,596 and $1,796 for one person.
- Check savings against the $9,950 single or $14,910 couple resource limit.
- Apply at Benefits.Ohio.Gov, by calling (800) 324-8680, or at your county JFS office.
- If you are above QI-1, apply for Extra Help through Social Security.
- Review Medicare Summary Notices and report anything odd to Ohio SMP.
- Recheck each year, since limits change with the poverty guidelines.
Free Medicare help Ohio: frequently asked questions
What is the OSHIIP phone number?
The hotline is 1-800-686-1578, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Is Ohio Medicare counseling through OSHIIP really free?
Yes. It is a free program of the Ohio Department of Insurance, and it does not sell, rate, recommend or endorse insurance products.
Does Ohio have an asset limit for the Medicare Savings Programs?
Yes. For 2026 the MPAP resource limit is $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple, according to the Ohio Department of Medicaid’s help sheet.
What is the QMB income limit in Ohio for 2026?
QMB is set at 100% of the poverty level: $1,330 a month for one person and $1,804 for two, measured against countable income.
Does QMB in Ohio pay for past months?
No. Ohio’s rule says QMB starts the first day of the month after approval. SLMB and QI-1 can reach back up to three months if you qualified then.
Who handles Medicare fraud reports in Ohio?
The Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol at Pro Seniors, toll-free 1-800-293-4767, or 1-800-MEDICARE.
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 state counselor. Call (617) 935-9220. For free, unbiased counseling, call OSHIIP at 1-800-686-1578 or 1-800-MEDICARE. Planning for family too? See our Ohio life insurance guide.
Keep Reading: Related Guides
- Life insurance in Ohio
- Medicare Extra Help
- Medicare IRMAA calculator
- Medicare enrollment calculator
- Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio (2027)
- Ohio Medicaid burial rules
- Unclaimed life insurance in Ohio
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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