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)Income Limits

Minnesota’s Medical Assistance (MA) program considers income in determining eligibility, benefit set, spenddown and premium amounts. To be eligible for most programs, a person’s income must be less than or equal to the appropriate income limit. Income limits and calculations of countable income vary by program and by a person’s basis of eligibility. Income limits are based on federal poverty guidelines.

Federal Poverty Guidelines

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issues federal poverty guidelines (FPG).

These guidelines determine income eligibility for MA. A person’s applicable income limit is based on many factors, including, but not limited to:

• The basis of eligibility for MA

• The number of people included in the household size

• Whether the person has a medical or long-term care spenddown for MA

Income Limits

The following income limits determine eligibility for MA:

• Pregnant women: less than or equal to 278% FPG

• Infants under 2: less than or equal to 283% FPG

• Children 2 through 18: less than or equal to 275% FPG

• Children 19 through 20: less than or equal to133% FPG

• Parent and caretaker relatives: less than or equal to 133% FPG

• Transition Year MA (TYMA) second six months: less than or equal to 185% FPG

• Adults without children: less than or equal to 133% FPG

• Refugee MA: less than or equal to 133% FPG

• Adults age 65 and older: less than or equal to 100% FPG

• Adults who are blind: less than or equal to 100% FPG

• Adults who are disabled: less than or equal to 100% FPG

• Children who are disabled and enrolled in MA under the TEFRA Option: less than or equal to 100% FPG

Some people have no income limit for MA eligibility. Many of these types of MA have an eligibility requirement that already evaluated income eligibility. See the chapter or policy linked below for more information:

• Auto newborns

• Former foster child younger than age 26

• MA for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD)

• MA for People Receiving Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MA-MSA)

• MA for People with 1619 (a) or 1619 (b) status

• MA for Women with Breast or Cervical Cancer (MA-BC)

• MA for People Receiving Services at the Center for Victims of Torture

• MA Northstar Adoption Assistance

• MA Northstar Title IV-E Foster Care and Title IV-E Kinship Assistance

See the Minnesota Health Care Programs Income and Asset Guidelines (DHS-3461A)for more information.

Legal Citations

Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.056

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.