Maine State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling in Maine. Trained counselors go through your costs and choices with you, and they don't sell plans.
Medicare and health costs
MaineCare (Medicaid) in Maine
MaineCare is Maine's Medicaid program.
People 65 and older may get full MaineCare with income up to the poverty level, and Maine doesn't count up to $8,000 of savings for one person before applying its $2,000 savings limit. If your income is higher, a MaineCare deductible (spend-down) may let you qualify once your medical bills are counted.
How to apply in Maine
- In person
- At a DHHS district office.
- By mail
- Mail the MaineCare application to Office for Family Independence, 114 Corn Shop Lane, Farmington, ME 04938, fax it to 207-778-8429, or email it to Farmington.DHHS@Maine.gov.
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify in Maine
| One person | Married couple | |
|---|---|---|
| Income limit (2026) | $1,330 a month (100% of the poverty level) | $1,804 a month (100% of the poverty level) |
| Savings limit (2026) | $2,000, after up to $8,000 of savings isn't counted | $3,000, after up to $12,000 of savings isn't counted |
| Spend-down if your income is over the limit | Yes: with a MaineCare deductible, you spend down your monthly income to the MaineCare income standard, and coverage starts when the deductible is met |
|---|---|
| Income limit for nursing-home or home-care Medicaid (2026) | $2,982 a month, for nursing-facility care and home and community-based waiver services; savings limit $2,000 / $3,000 |
| Medicaid for adults under 65 (expansion) | Yes: expansion adults 19 to 64 without Medicare may qualify with income up to $1,836 a month for one person (138% of the poverty level), with no asset test |
Source: Maine Department of Health and Human Services (source 1)
How Maine is different
Where Maine's rules differ from the federal rules for Medicaid for people with Medicare.
- Higher income limit: 100% of the poverty level
- Up to $8,000 of savings for one person ($12,000 for a couple) isn't counted toward the savings limit
- Spend-down (MaineCare deductible) available for people over the income limit
Source: Maine Department of Health and Human Services (source 1)
Good to know
- Long Term Care MaineCare looks back 60 months at your finances, and people on it pay part of their income toward the cost of their care. Nursing-facility residents keep a personal needs allowance of $40 a month.
Source: Maine Department of Health and Human Services (source 1)
Free help
Free help with this in Maine
Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS)
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in Maine
Medicaid for older adults in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- Maine Department of Health and Human Services, 2026 MaineCare Eligibility Guidelines (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Family Independence, Health Care Assistance (MaineCare) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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