Medicare by State
Free Medicare Help Virginia: VICAP Counseling and 2026 Savings Programs
VICAP counselors at Virginia’s 25 Area Agencies on Aging give free, unbiased Medicare help and can’t sell you anything. DMAS Medicare Savings Programs can pay the $202.90 Part B premium for one person with income up to $1,796 a month and resources under $9,950 in 2026.
- DARS says VICAP counseling is available only through your local Area Agency on Aging, and its counselors also explain Cardinal Care Managed Care.
- Virginia’s 2026 monthly limits for one person are $1,330 for QMB, $1,596 for SLMB and $1,796 for QI, effective March 1, 2026 for Social Security recipients.
- The 2026 resource limit for QMB, SLMB and QI in Virginia is $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for two.
- You can apply at commonhelp.virginia.gov or through the Cover Virginia Call Center at 1-855-242-8282.
Table of Contents
Free Medicare help Virginia residents can use comes in two forms. VICAP, the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program, gives free, unbiased counseling through your local Area Agency on Aging. The Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), which runs Medicaid as Cardinal Care, offers Medicare Savings Programs that can pay your Part B premium. This guide covers how to book a counselor, the 2026 limits from the state eligibility manual, how to apply through Cover Virginia, and where to report Medicare fraud, with a worked example of the savings.
Free Medicare help Virginia offers: the programs at a glance
| Program | Run by | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| VICAP | Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), through local Area Agencies on Aging | Free, unbiased, confidential Medicare counseling |
| Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI) | DMAS, through local Departments of Social Services | Pay the Part B premium; QMB also pays deductibles and coinsurance |
| Extra Help (Part D Low-Income Subsidy) | Social Security and Medicare | Lowers drug plan costs |
| Virginia Senior Medicare Patrol | Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging | Helps you report Medicare fraud and errors |
Cover Virginia’s Medicare page explains the link between them: some people with Medicare don’t qualify for full Medicaid but can still enroll in a Medicare Savings Program, and anyone enrolled in one is also enrolled in Extra Help.
VICAP: free Virginia Medicare counseling
The DARS Medicare counseling page says VICAP offers free, unbiased and confidential help for people with Medicare. Its counselors can’t sell you anything. They explain options, help compare plans, help you apply for benefits and explain your rights.
According to DARS, Virginia Medicare counseling covers:
- Medicare and Part D, including finding a drug plan that meets your needs.
- Medicare Advantage plans and Medigap supplemental insurance.
- Cardinal Care Managed Care, Virginia’s Medicaid health plans.
- Long-term care insurance.
- Appeals, denials and low-income assistance programs.
- Preventing health care fraud.
The Cardinal Care piece is worth noting. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, a counselor can explain how the two fit together, which is where many people get stuck.
Good times to seek free Medicare help Virginia counselors give: a few months before you turn 65, before Open Enrollment ends on December 7, when a plan stops renewing, and whenever money is tight enough that you want to be screened for cost help.
How to reach a counselor. DARS states that VICAP counseling is available exclusively through your local Area Agency on Aging. Contact your agency and ask to schedule a meeting with a VICAP counselor.
The DARS Find Your Local AAA page lists 25 agencies. A few examples:
- Bay Aging serves the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, including Gloucester, Lancaster, Mathews and Westmoreland. DARS notes that Medicare counseling for the Peninsula Agency on Aging area is handled through Bay Aging.
- Fairfax Area Agency on Aging serves Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax and Falls Church.
- Arlington Agency on Aging, Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging and the Alexandria Division of Aging & Adult Services serve their own localities.
The national SHIP Technical Assistance Center lists 1-800-552-3402 for VICAP. The DARS main line is 804-662-7000, with videophone 804-325-1316. Since counseling happens locally, your Area Agency on Aging is usually the fastest route to free Medicare help Virginia counselors provide.
2026 Medicare Savings Program Virginia income and resource limits
DMAS publishes its limits in the Medical Assistance Eligibility Manual income charts:
| Level | % of poverty level | One person, per month | Two people, per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) | 100% | $1,330 | $1,804 |
| SLMB (Special Low-income Medicare Beneficiary) | 120% | $1,596 | $2,164 |
| QI (Qualifying Individual) | 135% | $1,796 | $2,435 |
Virginia uses two start dates. The charts took effect January 13, 2026, for people without Social Security income and March 1, 2026, for people with it. DMAS’s covered-group chapter explains that new limits for Social Security recipients start on the first day of the second month after the federal poverty update.
Virginia keeps an asset test. Chapter M11 sets the 2026 resource limit for QMB, SLMB and QI at $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for two. Full Medicaid in Virginia’s ABD 80% FPL group, with an income limit of $1,064 for one person, uses a much lower $2,000 resource limit.
Figures are from the DMAS Medical Assistance Eligibility Manual (income charts revised July 2026; M11 revised January 2026) and are shown for illustration only. They are not quotes or offers, and they can change. Confirm current numbers with DMAS or a licensed agent.
What each level pays and when it starts
DMAS chapter M03 sets out the benefits and start dates for the Medicare Savings Program Virginia runs:
- QMB pays Medicare premiums, including Part B, plus deductibles and coinsurance. Coverage begins the first day of the month after DMAS approves you, not the month you applied, and retroactive coverage does not apply.
- SLMB pays only the Part B premium. If you meet every rule in the month you apply, coverage starts that month, and SLMB can reach back into the retroactive period.
- QI also pays the Part B premium for the highest income band.
M03 adds a practical tip for QMB: because QMB starts the month after approval, people applying for it must apply for Extra Help to get the drug subsidy for the approval month. A counselor can help you file both at once.
Some property is treated differently for these programs. M11 says home property, inheritances and unprobated estates, and real property that a co-owner would lose housing over are handled under special rules for QMB, SLMB and QI. Ask a counselor before assuming a second property or an estate rules you out of the Medicare Savings Program Virginia offers.
Extra Help with Part D drug costs
Medicare.gov says you get Extra Help automatically with full Medicaid, a Medicare Savings Program or SSI. If your income is too high for QI, you can still apply through Social Security. 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 married couple. For 2027, copays run up to $5.80 for generics and $14.40 for brand-name drugs.
Our Medicare Extra Help guide covers applying, and our Medicare Part D guide explains drug plans and the yearly cap.
Hypothetical example: what free Medicare help Virginia offers is worth
Hypothetical example. Two neighbors in Roanoke each live alone with Original Medicare, have savings under $9,950, and live only on Social Security. We use the 2026 Part B premium of $202.90 a month and $283 deductible from the CMS fact sheet. We picked incomes that fall in the same band before or after any income exclusions DMAS applies.
Dorothy gets $1,300 a month, under 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, plus Medicare coinsurance.
James gets $1,580 a month, above the QMB limit but under the $1,596 SLMB limit. SLMB pays his premium: $202.90 a month, or $2,434.80 a year. If he met the rules in the three months before applying, retroactive coverage could add $202.90 × 3 = $608.70.
Both would get Extra Help. This is an illustration, not an eligibility decision; only DMAS and your local Department of Social Services can decide.
How to apply, and how to report fraud
Cover Virginia’s How to Apply page lists these routes:
- Online at commonhelp.virginia.gov.
- By phone through the Cover Virginia Call Center, 1-855-242-8282, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (TTY 1-888-221-1590). The center is closed Saturdays from April 4, 2026.
- In person: drop off a paper application at your local Department of Social Services.
- By mail to the Cardinal Care Correspondence Center, P.O. Box 1820, Richmond, VA 23218.
Have your Social Security award letter, pension statements and bank statements ready. A counselor can help you fill in the form at no charge, which is often the most valuable free Medicare help Virginia residents get.
Reporting fraud. The Virginia Senior Medicare Patrol offers outreach, counseling and education on health care fraud. Call 1-800-938-8885 to talk with an SMP representative or report a suspected case; the national SMP locator lists the same number. Medicare.gov also takes reports at 1-800-MEDICARE.
VICAP or a licensed agent? The state program is free, unbiased and can’t sell anything. A licensed agent like Octans charges no fee but is paid commission by insurers and quotes only the carriers it represents. Many people use state counselors to screen for cost help, then an agent for quotes. See how we get paid.
Checklist: using free Medicare help Virginia provides
- Call your local Area Agency on Aging and ask for a Medicare counselor.
- Compare your monthly income with $1,330, $1,596 and $1,796 for one person.
- Check savings against the $9,950 single or $14,910 couple limit.
- Apply through CommonHelp, 1-855-242-8282 or your local Department of Social Services.
- If you expect QMB under the Medicare Savings Program Virginia runs, apply for Extra Help too, so the approval month is covered.
- Check your Medicare dates with our Medicare enrollment calculator; if income is high, try the IRMAA calculator.
- Report suspicious bills to Virginia SMP at 1-800-938-8885.
Free Medicare help Virginia: frequently asked questions
How do I reach VICAP?
DARS says VICAP counseling is available only through your local Area Agency on Aging. Find yours on the DARS Find Your Local AAA page and ask for a VICAP counselor.
Is Virginia Medicare counseling through VICAP free?
Yes. DARS describes the program as free, unbiased and confidential, and its counselors can’t sell you anything.
What is the QMB income limit in Virginia for 2026?
$1,330 a month for one person and $1,804 for two, per the DMAS income charts. For Social Security recipients, the 2026 limits took effect March 1, 2026.
Does Virginia have an asset limit for Medicare Savings Programs?
Yes. For 2026 it is $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for two, per DMAS chapter M11.
Does QMB pay for past months in Virginia?
No. QMB starts the first day of the month after approval. SLMB can start in the application month and cover retroactive months.
Who do I call about Medicare fraud in Virginia?
Virginia Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-800-938-8885, 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 happy to work alongside your VICAP counselor. Call (617) 935-9220. For free, unbiased counseling, contact VICAP through your local Area Agency on Aging or at 1-800-552-3402, or call 1-800-MEDICARE. Planning for family too? See our Virginia life insurance guide.
Keep Reading: Related Guides
- Life insurance in Virginia
- Medicare Extra Help
- Medicare IRMAA calculator
- Medicare enrollment calculator
- Medicare Advantage plans in Virginia (2027)
- Virginia Medicaid burial rules
- Unclaimed life insurance in Virginia
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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