This article is a section taken from Medical Assistance (MA), a part of the revisions and additions to the Minnesota Health Care Program Eligibility Policy Manual.

Medical Assistance (MA) Asset Limits

Assets (called “resources” in the governing rules) are items of value that you own and could convert to cash, such as bank accounts, stocks and bonds, cars, and real estate.

The asset limit that applies to you depends on which basis of Medical Assistance eligibility you fall under. Several bases carry no asset limit at all, while others apply the dollar caps described below. The figures and authorities below reflect current Minnesota law (see Legal Citations).

Asset Limit for Medical Assistance Families with Children and Adults (Without a Spenddown)

There is no asset limit for Medical Assistance (MA) for Families with Children and Adults. These are modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) eligibility categories, and federal law prohibits applying any asset or resources test when financial eligibility is determined under the MAGI methodology (42 C.F.R. § 435.603(g); Minn. Stat. § 256B.056, subd. 1a(b), available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/256B.056).

Asset Limit for Medically Needy Medical Assistance for Children and Pregnant Women (With a Spenddown)

Children and pregnant people eligible for MA with a spenddown have no asset limit (Minn. Dep’t of Human Servs., Eligibility Policy Manual § 2.1.3.1, MA Asset Limit, available at https://hcopub.dhs.state.mn.us/epm/2_1_3_1.htm). Eligibility for children under age 21 is determined without regard to the asset limitations described in Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.056, subdivision 3c, paragraphs (a) and (b), and subdivision 3 (available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/256B.056).

Asset Limit for Medically Needy Medical Assistance Parent/Caretaker Relatives (With a Spenddown)

If you are a parent or caretaker relative who qualifies for MA with a spenddown, the following asset limit applies:

  • $10,000 asset limit for a household of one

  • $20,000 for a household of two or more

See Minn. Stat. § 256B.056, subd. 3c (available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/256B.056), and the MA for Families and Children Medical Spenddown policy for more information.

Asset Limit for Medical Assistance for People Who Are Age 65 or Older and People Who Are Blind or Have a Disability

There is an asset limit for MA for People Who Are Age 65 or Older and People Who Are Blind or Have a Disability (MA-ABD), including those with a medical or long-term care spenddown. The asset limits are:

  • $3,000 for a household of one

  • $6,000 for a household of two

  • $200 for each additional household member

These limits remain in effect. The Minnesota law that eliminated a Medical Assistance asset limit effective January 1, 2024, reached only MA-EPD (below); it did not change the MA-ABD limits, so do not read the MA-EPD change as removing the asset test for the broader disabled population. See Minn. Stat. § 256B.056, subd. 3 (available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/256B.056); Minn. Dep’t of Human Servs. Bulletin 23-21-28; and the MA-ABD subchapter for more information.

Asset Limit for Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities

There is no asset limit for MA for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD). The MA-EPD asset limit was eliminated effective January 1, 2024. Before that date, MA-EPD applicants and enrollees could not have assets exceeding $20,000, and assets are no longer counted or verified for MA-EPD eligibility (Minn. Stat. § 256B.057, subd. 9, available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/256B.057; Minn. Dep’t of Human Servs., Eligibility Policy Manual § 2.3.5.3.1, MA-EPD Assets, available at https://hcopub.dhs.state.mn.us/epm/2_3_5_3_1.htm; Minn. Dep’t of Human Servs. Bulletin 23-21-28).

The $20,000 figure now survives only in a narrow, unrelated context: if you were enrolled in MA-EPD for the 24 months before you turned 65, and are then redetermined eligible under MA-ABD, you have no asset limit for up to 12 consecutive months, after which a $20,000 asset limit applies (Disability Hub MN, MA-EPD, available at https://disabilityhubmn.org/top-topics/health/medical-assistance/ma-epd/). By contrast, the general MA-ABD asset limits are lower: $3,000 for a household of one and $6,000 for a household of two (Minn. Stat. § 256B.056, subd. 3, available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/256B.056).

See the MA-EPD subchapter for more information.

Asset Limit for Refugee Medical Assistance

Refugee MA (RMA) has the following asset limit:

  • $10,000 asset limit for a household of one

  • $20,000 for a household of two or more

See the Minnesota Department of Human Services Eligibility Policy Manual § 2.1.3.1 (MA Asset Limit) and the RMA section for more information.

Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.056 (Eligibility requirements for medical assistance), subdivisions 3 and 3c (asset limitations) (available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/256B.056)
Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.057, subdivision 9 (Employed persons with disabilities) (available at https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/256B.057)

CREDIT: The content of this post has been copied or adopted from the Minnesota Healthcare Programs Eligibility Policy Manual, originally published by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

This is also part of a series of posts on Minnesota Healthcare Eligibility Policies.