Minnesota Medicaid Income Limits
Updated August 2026
Minnesota uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) methodology to calculate income for most MA eligibility groups. MAGI counts most taxable income — wages, self-employment, unemployment, and Social Security — and excludes certain types like child support received. Different coverage groups have different income ceilings. Figures below reflect the DHS-3461A Income and Asset Guidelines, effective 7/1/2026–6/30/2027.
Medical Assistance income limits by coverage group (2026)
| Coverage group | FPL % | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adults ages 21–64 (ACA expansion) | 133% FPG (~138% with the standard MAGI disregard) | No asset test |
| Parents and caretaker relatives | 133% FPG (~138% with disregard) | No asset test |
| Children ages 19–20 | 133% FPG (~138% with disregard) | Same threshold as adults, not the higher children's threshold; no asset test |
| Pregnant women | 278% FPG | No asset test; 12 months postpartum coverage |
| Infants under age 2 | 283% FPG | No asset test |
| Children ages 2–18 | 275% FPG | No asset test; flat rate for this age band |
| MinnesotaCare (not MA) | Above 133% FPG up to 200% FPG | Monthly premiums; separate state program |
| Seniors age 65+ and blind/disabled adults | Varies | Asset test applies; see DHS-3461A for limits |
Adults ages 21–64 (ACA expansion)
- FPL %
- 133% FPG (~138% with the standard MAGI disregard)
- Notes
- No asset test
Parents and caretaker relatives
- FPL %
- 133% FPG (~138% with disregard)
- Notes
- No asset test
Children ages 19–20
- FPL %
- 133% FPG (~138% with disregard)
- Notes
- Same threshold as adults, not the higher children's threshold; no asset test
Pregnant women
- FPL %
- 278% FPG
- Notes
- No asset test; 12 months postpartum coverage
Infants under age 2
- FPL %
- 283% FPG
- Notes
- No asset test
Children ages 2–18
- FPL %
- 275% FPG
- Notes
- No asset test; flat rate for this age band
MinnesotaCare (not MA)
- FPL %
- Above 133% FPG up to 200% FPG
- Notes
- Monthly premiums; separate state program
Seniors age 65+ and blind/disabled adults
- FPL %
- Varies
- Notes
- Asset test applies; see DHS-3461A for limits
No asset test for most Medical Assistance members
Most people who apply for Medical Assistance — adults without children, parents, pregnant women, children, and young adults through age 20 — face no asset test. Savings accounts, vehicles, investment accounts, and home equity do not affect eligibility for these groups.
Seniors age 65 and older and adults who are blind or disabled (age 21 and older) are subject to asset limits. As of the DHS-3461A guidelines effective 7/1/2026–6/30/2027, the asset limit is $3,000 for a single person and $6,000 for a household of two, plus $200 for each additional dependent. Certain assets are always excluded: the home you live in, household goods, one vehicle, and certain assets owned by American Indian tribal members.
If you have assets above the limit, your county or tribal office can explain what options are available. Some people can use a spenddown — deducting medical expenses from income — to qualify even if their income exceeds the standard limit.
The spenddown option for people over the income limit
Minnesota's Medical Assistance spenddown lets some people qualify even if their income exceeds the standard limit. It works like a deductible: you subtract qualifying medical expenses from your income until you reach the MA income limit. Once you reach that threshold, MA covers the remaining costs for covered services during that period.
Not all eligibility groups qualify for a spenddown. Parents and caretaker relatives with income above the MA limit who also exceed the asset limit may use the spenddown. Seniors and disabled adults with income above the MA limit may also qualify via spenddown. Talk to your county worker about whether spenddown applies to your situation. MN DHS form DHS-3017 explains how the spenddown is calculated.
Children and pregnant women: higher income limits
Minnesota provides some of the most generous income eligibility for children and pregnant women in the country. Pregnant women qualify at up to 278% FPG under MA, with no asset test, and coverage continues for 12 months after the pregnancy ends. Infants under age 2 qualify at an even higher threshold — 283% FPG — while children ages 2–18 qualify at 275% FPG. Current dollar figures for each age band can be verified in the DHS-3461A Income and Asset Guidelines at mn.gov/dhs.
Children whose family income exceeds the MA limit for their age group may qualify for MinnesotaCare with a monthly premium, rather than being uninsured. Minnesota's system is intentionally structured so that uninsured children at nearly any income level have an insurance option.
Medicare Savings Programs (QMB) in Minnesota
Minnesotans who are enrolled in Medicare and need help with the cost of it don't use the MAGI limits or the spenddown option described above — they fall under a separate federal framework called the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs). The three tiers, Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), and Qualifying Individual (QI), each carry their own fixed monthly income and resource limits, distinct from both the DHS-3461A MAGI guidelines and the non-MAGI asset rules for seniors described above.
| Program | Situation | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|---|
| QMB | Individual | $1,350/mo |
| QMB | Married couple | $1,824/mo |
| SLMB | Individual | $1,616/mo |
| SLMB | Married couple | $2,184/mo |
| QI | Individual | $1,816/mo |
| QI | Married couple | $2,455/mo |
QMB
- Situation
- Individual
- Monthly income limit
- $1,350/mo
QMB
- Situation
- Married couple
- Monthly income limit
- $1,824/mo
SLMB
- Situation
- Individual
- Monthly income limit
- $1,616/mo
SLMB
- Situation
- Married couple
- Monthly income limit
- $2,184/mo
QI
- Situation
- Individual
- Monthly income limit
- $1,816/mo
QI
- Situation
- Married couple
- Monthly income limit
- $2,455/mo
QMB provides the fullest protection: it pays the Part B premium ($202.90/month in 2026), the Part A premium if one applies, and every Medicare deductible, coinsurance amount, and copayment. Providers who accept Medicare are barred by federal law from billing a QMB enrollee for that cost-sharing, no exceptions. SLMB and QI are narrower — each covers only the Part B premium and leaves deductibles and coinsurance to the member.
Applications for all three MSP tiers go through Minnesota county or tribal Medical Assistance offices — the same doorway used for the Medical Assistance programs above — not through Medicare directly. QI draws from a capped annual federal allotment and is awarded first-come, first-served, so eligible members must reapply each year. QMB, SLMB, and QI enrollment also brings automatic enrollment in Extra Help, which caps 2026 covered Part D drug costs at $12.65 per prescription.
Medical Assistance (Minnesota Medicaid)
- Income and asset limits — Minnesota Department of Human Services: https://mn.gov/dhs/health-care/apply/income-asset-limits/
Income Limits in Nearby States
Related guides
Income Limits
Current income cutoffs by state and household size, tied to the Federal Poverty Level.
Read more →Spend-Down
How to qualify by deducting medical bills from income that's above the limit.
Read more →QMB Program
What the QMB program covers, what a QMB card proves, and how to apply.
Read more →