State Health Insurance Program (SHIP)
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling in Vermont. Trained counselors go through your costs and choices with you, and they don't sell plans.
Medicare and health costs
Vermont Medicaid in Vermont
Vermont covers people 65 and older through Medicaid for the Aged, Blind and Disabled (MABD), which can pay health costs Medicare doesn't and includes adult dental care up to $1,500 a year.
Vermont's income limit is its protected income level, $1,375 a month for one person or a couple ($1,483 in Chittenden County), and people with higher income can spend down to it. Long-term care at home or in a nursing home comes through Choices for Care.
How to apply in Vermont
- By phone
- 1-800-250-8427
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify in Vermont
| One person | Married couple | |
|---|---|---|
| Income limit (protected income level, from April 1, 2026) | $1,375 a month ($1,483 in Chittenden County) | $1,375 a month ($1,483 in Chittenden County) |
| Savings limit (2026) | $2,000 | $3,000 Source: KFF (source 5) |
| Spend-down if your income is over the limit | Yes: if your income is over the protected income level, you may qualify once medical bills bring it down to $1,375 a month ($1,483 in Chittenden County) Source: KFF (source 5) |
|---|---|
| Income limit for nursing-home or home-care Medicaid (2026) | $2,982 a month (300% of the SSI amount) Source: KFF (source 5) |
| Medicaid for adults under 65 (expansion) | Yes: Vermont Medicaid covers adults under 65 who are not blind or disabled, based on household income; apply through Vermont Health Connect |
What you may get
| Adult dental | Adult dental care is covered up to $1,500 per person per calendar year; preventive dental care has no copay, other dental visits have a $3 copay |
|---|
How Vermont is different
Where Vermont's rules differ from the federal rules for Medicaid for people with Medicare.
- Higher income limit: the protected income level of $1,375 a month ($1,483 in Chittenden County)
- Adult dental covered, up to $1,500 a year
- Long-term care at home or in a facility through Choices for Care
Good to know
- People who get SSI qualify with income up to $1,049.68 a month for one person ($994 SSI plus $55.68 state supplement) or $1,596.80 for a couple.
Free help
Free help with this in Vermont
Adult Services Division
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in Vermont
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
- Maine
- 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
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- Department of Vermont Health Access, 2026 MABD PIL FPL Income Chart (effective 4/1/2026) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Department of Vermont Health Access, Medicaid for the Aged, Blind and Disabled (MABD) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Department of Vermont Health Access, Medicaid (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Department of Vermont Health Access, Long-Term Care (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- KFF, Medicaid Eligibility Levels for Older Adults and People with Disabilities (Non-MAGI) in 2026. Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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