Medicaid, or Medical Assistance because it’s called in Minnesota, has been a precious safety net for individuals who lost their jobs or their medical health insurance in the course of the pandemic. But as COVID-19 has grow to be more manageable and the declared public health emergency has ended, Medical Assistance eligibility requirements are changing.
We’ll walk you thru the Medical Assistance eligibility requirements and income limits for Minnesota Health Care Programs so that you’ll have a greater idea of what you would possibly qualify for in 2023.
Who’s eligible for Medical Assistance?
Whether you’re eligible for Medical Assistance or not is dependent upon a mix of things, including age, income level and family size, in addition to additional aspects corresponding to should you’re pregnant or have a disability. Each state may also decide to implement Medical Assistance expansions for additional medical health insurance options. These expansions allow states to broaden their eligibility requirements to cover other groups, like people receiving home and community-based services or children in foster care who is probably not eligible otherwise.
There are various ways in which publicly funded health care programs within the state of Minnesota are delivered, including MinnesotaCare, Special Needs BasicCare (SNBC) and Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO). Each program serves different groups of individuals and has unique requirements.
qualify for Medical Assistance
Medical Assistance is Minnesota’s term for Medicaid. It covers low-income Minnesotans, including children and pregnant women, in addition to individuals with disabilities. There is no such thing as a monthly premium and enrollment is accessible year-round.
To qualify for Medical Assistance (Medicaid) in Minnesota, you have to:
- Be a Minnesota resident
- Be a U.S. citizen or qualifying noncitizen
- Have a Social Security number, unless you meet an exception
- Meet income and asset guidelines
- Meet another program rules (rules vary by program)
What’s the income limit for Medical Assistance?
How much income you may have and still qualify for Medical Assistance is dependent upon your age, the dimensions of your loved ones and should you’re pregnant or have a disability. The Income and Asset Guidelines (PDF) highlights the income limit for the entire Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) Minnesota Health Care Programs.
In case your income is greater than the limit, chances are you’ll still give you the chance to get medical health insurance using a spenddown. A spenddown permits you to deduct certain medical expenses out of your income. After deducting these medical expenses, in case your income is at or below the limit, MA can pay the remaining costs of covered services.
What’s the asset limit for Medical Assistance?
The assets you own, like your automotive, home or financial investments, might play a task in your eligibility for Medical Assistance.
- Parents, children under 21 and adults without children in the house normally wouldn’t have an asset limit.
- Parents and caretaker relatives eligible for Medical Assistance with a spenddown have an asset limit (PDF).
- Seniors and other people age 21 and older who’re blind or have a disability have an asset limit (PDF).
qualify for MinnesotaCare
MinnesotaCare covers lower-income Minnesotans who aren’t eligible for Medical Assistance.
To qualify for MinnesotaCare, you have to:
- Be under age 65
- Be a Minnesota resident
- Be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present within the U.S.
- Meet income and asset guidelines
- Not be enrolled in or have access to Medicare Part A
- Not be enrolled in Medicare Part B
- Not be incarcerated, unless you’re awaiting disposition of charges
enroll in Special Needs BasicCare
For individuals with disabilities, SNBC provides all the advantages of Medical Assistance but with added perks like care coordination support that helps you access the services you wish.
To enroll in SNBC, you have to:
- Have a state- or federally-certified disability
- Be between 18 and 64 years old
- Be enrolled in Medical Assistance and don’t have a spenddown on the time of SNBC enrollment
enroll in Minnesota Senior Health Options
Minnesota Senior Health Options combines the advantages of Medical Assistance and Medicare into one medical health insurance plan. It also provides extra perks and advantages once you need them.
To qualify for MSHO, you have to:
- Be a Minnesota resident
- Be 65 or older
- Be eligible for each Medical Assistance and Medicare Parts A and B