Paying for a nursing home with Medicaid

The federal rules every state follows

• Medicaid looks back 60 months (five years) before a nursing home application for gifts or transfers of assets made for less than their value. Such transfers can cause a period when Medicaid will not pay for nursing home care.govinfo.gov
• Federal law allows a trust made up only of a person's pension, Social Security and other income, with the state repaid from what is left in it at death. This is the qualified income trust, also called a Miller trust.govinfo.gov
• States must seek repayment from the estate of a person who was 55 or older when Medicaid paid for their care, including nursing facility services.govinfo.gov
• When one spouse lives in a nursing home, federal spousal impoverishment rules let part of that spouse's income go to the spouse still at home, through a community spouse monthly income allowance.govinfo.gov
• After the spouse in the nursing home qualifies, the resources of the spouse at home are no longer counted toward the spouse in the nursing home.govinfo.gov
• A person whose equity in their home is above a federal cap is not eligible for Medicaid nursing facility care. The base figure in the law is $500,000, and states may choose a higher figure up to $750,000; both rise each year with inflation.govinfo.gov

State by state

Alaska (Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance)

• Alaska allows a qualifying income trust (Miller trust). Income that flows into the trust is not counted for Medicaid eligibility, and it is most often used to qualify for long-term care Medicaid.dpaweb.hss.state.ak.us
• In Alaska, a qualifying income trust must hold only the person's own income.dpaweb.hss.state.ak.us
• An Alaska nursing home resident on Medicaid keeps a personal needs allowance of at least $200 a month.dpaweb.hss.state.ak.us
• Alaska seeks repayment from the estates of Medicaid recipients age 55 and older for the cost of nursing facility and home and community based services.dpaweb.hss.state.ak.us

Every certified nursing home in Alaska, with which ones take Medicaid.

Arizona (Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS))

• In Arizona's long-term care program (ALTCS), a person whose income is over the limit may still qualify by setting up a special type of trust, an income-only trust.azahcccs.gov
• The ALTCS gross monthly income limit for one person is $2,982, effective January 1, 2026.azahcccs.gov
• For a single ALTCS applicant in Arizona, countable resources cannot be more than $2,000.azahcccs.gov
• Arizona treats income-only trusts as one of its special treatment trusts. Anyone over the income limit can ask the state for its Special Treatment Trust Information Sheet.azahcccs.gov
• An ALTCS application can be registered online in Health-e-Arizona Plus by creating an HEAplus account.azahcccs.gov
• When a special treatment trust is used to qualify for ALTCS in Arizona, AHCCCS recovers the cost of benefits from the trust when the person dies or the trust ends.azahcccs.gov

Every certified nursing home in Arizona, with which ones take Medicaid.

Arkansas (Arkansas Department of Human Services)

• In Arkansas, a nursing facility resident whose income is above the limit may still qualify for Medicaid by setting up an income trust. DHS caseworkers explain the process.humanservices.arkansas.gov
• The resource limit for an Arkansas long-term care Medicaid applicant is $2,000.humanservices.arkansas.gov
• Arkansas publishes a long-term services and supports (LTSS) Medicaid application packet, which covers nursing facility care, in English, Spanish and Marshallese.humanservices.arkansas.gov

Every certified nursing home in Arkansas, with which ones take Medicaid.

Colorado (Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing)

• In Colorado, a nursing facility resident whose gross income is above 300% of the SSI benefit can qualify for the long-term care income group by setting up an income trust (Miller trust) under the state's trust rules.sos.state.co.us
• In Colorado, an income trust is valid only if the person's gross monthly income is above the 300% SSI limit but below the average cost of private nursing facility care in their region.sos.state.co.us
• Colorado asks for a complete copy of the trust agreement and all supporting documents to be sent to the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing for review.hcpf.colorado.gov
• Colorado may recover Medicaid costs from the estates of members who received care in an institutional setting, or for services received at age 55 and older.healthfirstcolorado.gov

Every certified nursing home in Colorado, with which ones take Medicaid.

Florida (Florida Department of Children and Families)

• In Florida, a person whose income is over the limit for Medicaid long-term care, including nursing home care, can become eligible by placing income each month into a qualified income trust (Miller trust).myflfamilies.com
• For Florida's nursing home Medicaid (the Institutional Care Program), the asset limit is $2,000 for one person.ffic.myflfamilies.com
• A Florida nursing home resident on Medicaid (the Institutional Care Program) keeps a personal needs allowance of $160 a month.ffic.myflfamilies.com
• In Florida, professional help to write the trust agreement is allowed but not required. The agreement goes to an eligibility specialist, who sends it to the state's legal offices for review.myflfamilies.com
• In Florida, income must be deposited into the trust account every month for as long as Medicaid is needed. Deposits cannot be made for a past or future month.myflfamilies.com
• Floridians can apply for Medicaid online through the ACCESS Florida website, at a DCF Family Resource Center, or through a community partner.myflfamilies.com
• In Florida, money left in a qualified income trust when the person dies is paid to the state, up to the total Medicaid paid on their behalf.myflfamilies.com

Every certified nursing home in Florida, with which ones take Medicaid.

Georgia (Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Children Services (for the Department of Community Health))

• In Georgia, a nursing home applicant whose income is at or above the Medicaid Cap can set up a qualified income trust (Miller trust) to shelter income from the income limit test.pamms.dhs.ga.gov
• Georgia's Medicaid Cap for nursing home residents is $2982 a month for one person and $5964 for a couple, effective January 2026.pamms.dhs.ga.gov
• Georgia's resource limit for a nursing home Medicaid applicant is $2000 for one person.pamms.dhs.ga.gov
• A Georgia nursing home resident on Medicaid keeps a personal needs allowance of $70 a month.pamms.dhs.ga.gov
• In Georgia, income cannot go into the qualified income trust by direct deposit from its source, such as Social Security; it must be moved into the trust account from another account.pamms.dhs.ga.gov
• In Georgia, a person can put all of their income into the trust or only the part over the Medicaid Cap. Failing to fund the trust properly and on time costs eligibility for that month.pamms.dhs.ga.gov
• When a Georgia qualified income trust ends at death, the trustee writes a check for the balance payable to the Georgia Department of Community Health.pamms.dhs.ga.gov

Every certified nursing home in Georgia, with which ones take Medicaid.

Idaho (Idaho Department of Health and Welfare)

• Idaho allows an income (Miller) trust for a person who would be eligible for long-term care Medicaid except for excess income. Income placed in the trust in the month it is received is not counted for long-term care eligibility.files.dfm.idaho.gov
• In Idaho, income put directly into the income trust in the same calendar month it is received is not counted as income for long-term care Medicaid eligibility, but it is still used to figure what the resident pays toward care.files.dfm.idaho.gov
• An Idaho long-term care resident on Medicaid keeps forty dollars ($40) a month for personal needs.files.dfm.idaho.gov
• In Idaho, a single person's countable resources must be two thousand dollars ($2,000) or less for aged, blind and disabled eligibility.files.dfm.idaho.gov

Every certified nursing home in Idaho, with which ones take Medicaid.

Illinois (Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services)

• Illinois uses a medical spenddown. People with too much income or too many assets for regular Medicaid can qualify once their medical bills reach a set monthly amount, and nursing home bills count toward it.hfs.illinois.gov
• In Illinois, spenddown works like an insurance deductible: once bills or receipts for medical care equal the monthly spenddown amount, Medicaid pays for other care that month.hfs.illinois.gov
• Unpaid medical bills count toward an Illinois spenddown, not only bills already paid.hfs.illinois.gov
• The asset limit for Illinois AABD Medical, the Medicaid program for older adults and people with disabilities, is $17,500 for one person.dhs.state.il.us
• In Illinois, nursing home Medicaid starts with an application for medical benefits through the Department of Human Services plus a needs screening. Applications can be made online at abe.illinois.gov.hfs.illinois.gov
• To have Illinois pay for nursing home care, a person applies for medical benefits through the Department of Human Services and gets a needs screening.hfs.illinois.gov
• Illinois can file a claim against the estate of a person who received Aid to the Aged, Blind or Disabled (AABD) assistance, for the amount received.hfs.illinois.gov

Every certified nursing home in Illinois, with which ones take Medicaid.

Indiana (Indiana Family and Social Services Administration)

• In Indiana, nursing facility residents whose income is above the Special Income Level can become Medicaid eligible by using a Miller trust (qualified income trust).in.gov
• In Indiana, a Miller trust must be funded each month with at least the amount of the person's income above the Special Income Level, and the money must be kept in a separate account.in.gov
• In Indiana, a Miller trust can be set up by the applicant's authorized representative, legal guardian, power of attorney, or a family member if the applicant is incapacitated.in.gov
• Under Indiana standards effective March 1, 2026, disabled individuals who are institutionalized may qualify with monthly income of up to $2,982.in.gov
• Indiana's asset limit for aged, blind and disabled Medicaid is $2,000 for a single person or $3,000 for a married couple.in.gov

Every certified nursing home in Indiana, with which ones take Medicaid.

Iowa (Iowa Department of Health and Human Services)

• In Iowa, people with income above 300 percent of the SSI benefit can qualify for Medicaid payment of long-term care using a medical assistance income trust (MAIT), also called a Miller trust.hhs.iowa.gov
• With an income trust in Iowa, a nursing facility resident still qualifies only if total gross monthly income stays under a cap tied to the average cost of care. From July 1, 2026, that cap is $12,002.50 a month for nursing facilities.hhs.iowa.gov
• In Iowa, the trustee pays out of the trust each month in a set order: up to $10.00 for trust expenses, then the personal needs allowance, allowances for a spouse or dependents, unmet medical needs, and the rest to the care provider up to the Medicaid rate.hhs.iowa.gov
• Iowa estate recovery applies to Medicaid members who are 55 or older, or under 55 and living in a medical facility with little chance of returning home.hhs.iowa.gov

Every certified nursing home in Iowa, with which ones take Medicaid.

Kentucky (Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Medicaid Services)

• For a Kentucky nursing facility resident without a spouse at home, eligibility is tested against either the medically needy standard (a spend-down) or the special income level.apps.legislature.ky.gov
• Kentucky also lets a person create a qualifying income trust to establish financial eligibility for Medicaid.apps.legislature.ky.gov
• In Kentucky, a qualifying income trust must be kept in a separate account and not mixed with other accounts.apps.legislature.ky.gov
• In Kentucky, spend-down eligibility is figured over a three month period in which medical expenses use up the excess income expected during that period.apps.legislature.ky.gov
• A Kentucky nursing facility resident on Medicaid keeps sixty (60) dollars a month for personal needs, plus mandatory withholdings such as taxes.apps.legislature.ky.gov

Every certified nursing home in Kentucky, with which ones take Medicaid.

Louisiana (Louisiana Department of Health)

• In Louisiana, a nursing home applicant whose income is above the special income limit (SIL) can qualify through the Spend-Down Medically Needy program if they have enough medical expenses to spend down the excess income.ldh.la.gov
• For Louisiana long-term care applicants whose income exceeds the special income limit, the state continues reviewing eligibility under the Spend-Down Medically Needy program.ldh.la.gov
• Louisiana's special income limit for long-term care is $2,982.00 a month for one person, effective 1/1/26.ldh.la.gov
• Louisiana's long-term care resource limit is $2,000.00 for one person (chart effective 1/1/26).ldh.la.gov
• A Louisiana nursing home resident on Medicaid keeps a personal care needs allowance of $45.00 a month, effective July 1, 2025.ldh.la.gov
• In Louisiana, people interested in nursing facility care may apply directly to the nursing home of their choice, or apply for preadmission certification by phone.ldh.la.gov

Every certified nursing home in Louisiana, with which ones take Medicaid.

Maryland (Maryland Department of Health, Medical Care Programs)

• In Maryland, nursing home Medicaid eligibility compares the person's available income with the cost of their care in the facility. When income is greater than the cost of care, the state works out spend-down eligibility using medical expenses.health.maryland.gov
• In Maryland, when available income is greater than the cost of nursing home care, the excess is reduced by medical expenses such as unpaid bills from before the application, Medicare and other health insurance premiums, and deductibles.health.maryland.gov
• A Maryland nursing home resident on Medical Assistance keeps a personal needs allowance of $106 a month (effective 7/1/25).health.maryland.gov

Every certified nursing home in Maryland, with which ones take Medicaid.

Minnesota (Minnesota Department of Human Services)

• In Minnesota, a nursing home resident on Medical Assistance has income counted under the long-term care income calculation, which can result in an LTC spenddown paid toward the cost of care.hcopub.dhs.state.mn.us
• In Minnesota, when the community income calculation results in a medical spenddown, the cost of long-term care services can be used to meet it.hcopub.dhs.state.mn.us
• Minnesota's asset limit for Medical Assistance for older adults and people with disabilities (MA-ABD) is $3,000 for a household of one.hcopub.dhs.state.mn.us

Every certified nursing home in Minnesota, with which ones take Medicaid.

Nevada (Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services)

• Nevada allows a Miller type or qualified income trust so people whose income is above the limit can become eligible for institutional (nursing home) Medicaid by placing their income into the trust.dss.nv.gov
• In Nevada, a qualified income trust must be irrevocable and funded only from the person's own pensions, Social Security and other unearned income.dss.nv.gov
• A Nevada nursing home resident on Medicaid keeps a personal needs allowance of $154 for each month of institutionalization.dss.nv.gov

Every certified nursing home in Nevada, with which ones take Medicaid.

New Jersey (New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services)

• In New Jersey, a person who needs an institutional level of care and has monthly income above the institutional income limit must set up a qualified income trust (Miller trust) to get Medicaid for long-term services and supports.nj.gov
• New Jersey's Medicaid Only institutional income limit is $2,982 per month in 2026. Above that, a qualified income trust is required.nj.gov
• To qualify for New Jersey's managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS), a person must own $2,000 or less in total resources, not counting the home they live in and the vehicle they use.nj.gov
• New Jersey posts information about the QIT process, including a template of the trust document, on its Medicaid website.nj.gov
• In New Jersey, the trustee of a qualified income trust must be someone other than the Medicaid applicant, and the trust agreement must be approved by the eligibility agency.nj.gov
• New Jersey residents apply for managed long-term services and supports through their local County Social Service Agency (CSSA).nj.gov

Every certified nursing home in New Jersey, with which ones take Medicaid.

New Mexico (New Mexico Health Care Authority)

• In New Mexico, a nursing home applicant whose income is above the income standard may qualify for Medicaid by creating and funding an income diversion trust, New Mexico's term for a qualified income (Miller) trust.srca.nm.gov
• In New Mexico, an income diversion trust may hold only pension, Social Security and other income of the applicant, including income that builds up in the trust.srca.nm.gov
• In New Mexico, an applicant can qualify for institutional care Medicaid on resources if countable resources do not exceed $2,000.srca.nm.gov

Every certified nursing home in New Mexico, with which ones take Medicaid.

New York (New York State Department of Health)

• New York uses a spenddown, called the Excess Income Program. An older or disabled person whose income is above the Medicaid level can become eligible by paying or incurring medical expenses equal to the excess.health.ny.gov
• In New York, excess income can be met with paid or unpaid medical bills, by paying the excess amount directly to the local social services district, or by a mix of both.health.ny.gov
• Once a New York nursing home stay is permanent, the resident's income is budgeted under chronic care rules, which set how much of it goes toward the cost of care.health.ny.gov
• A New York nursing home resident with no earned income keeps a personal needs allowance of $50 a month.health.ny.gov
• New Yorkers apply for Medicaid by writing, phoning or visiting their local department of social services. In New York City, the Human Resources Administration takes applications at (718) 557-1399.health.ny.gov

Every certified nursing home in New York, with which ones take Medicaid.

North Carolina (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Benefits)

• North Carolina uses a private-rate test. Its Medicaid manual (MA-2270, Step I.B) says: "When the a/b's gross income is greater than the Medicaid reimbursement rate for the facility, determine if net income (after exclusions) is less than the facility's private rate." and "If net countable income is less than or equal to the facility's private rate, the person is financially eligible." (a/b is the manual's short form for the applicant or beneficiary.)policies.ncdhhs.gov
• For North Carolina nursing home Medicaid, the county contacts the facility for its private rate for 31 days and compares it with the resident's net income.policies.ncdhhs.gov
• A North Carolina nursing home resident on Medicaid keeps a personal needs allowance of $70 a month ($140 for a married couple sharing a room).policies.ncdhhs.gov
• In North Carolina, people age 55 and older in any Medicaid program, and people under 55 applying for long-term care, are told about estate recovery.policies.ncdhhs.gov

Every certified nursing home in North Carolina, with which ones take Medicaid.

North Dakota (North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services)

• In North Dakota, an older, blind or disabled person whose income is over the Medicaid limit and who has medical needs can be covered with a client share, a medically needy spend down. Long-term care applicants must qualify in a Medicaid coverage group.hhs.nd.gov
• North Dakota's client share is the monthly amount a person must pay in medical bills before Medicaid pays for covered services.hhs.nd.gov
• For North Dakota long-term care Medicaid, a single person must have less than $3,000 in countable assets such as checking and savings accounts ($6,000 for a couple).hhs.nd.gov
• North Dakota has a preferred Medicaid claim against the property of a deceased member who was 55 or older when they received Medicaid services.hhs.nd.gov

Every certified nursing home in North Dakota, with which ones take Medicaid.

Ohio (Ohio Department of Medicaid)

• In Ohio, a nursing home resident whose income is above the special income level must set up and fund a qualified income trust (Miller trust) to qualify for Medicaid long-term care.dam.assets.ohio.gov
• Ohio's special income level for nursing home and waiver Medicaid is $2,982 a month, effective January 1, 2026 (300% of the federal SSI benefit).dam.assets.ohio.gov
• Ohio's 2026 Medicaid resource limit for a single person in a facility or on a waiver is $2,000.dam.assets.ohio.gov
• When Medicaid pays for an Ohio nursing home stay, the resident's income usually goes toward the bill and Medicaid covers the rest, while the resident keeps a personal needs allowance.medicaid.ohio.gov
• In Ohio, Medicaid eligibility starts the first of the month in which the qualified income trust is set up and funded. The resident can fund it with all monthly income or only the amount over the limit.dam.assets.ohio.gov

Every certified nursing home in Ohio, with which ones take Medicaid.

Oklahoma (Oklahoma Health Care Authority)

• In Oklahoma, a nursing facility applicant whose gross income is above the categorically needy standard is referred to the rules for setting up a Medicaid Income Pension Trust, Oklahoma's name for a qualified income (Miller) trust.oklahoma.gov
• In Oklahoma, the Medicaid Income Pension Trust is for a person who needs long-term care and whose income is above the long-term care standard but less than the average monthly cost of nursing home care.oklahoma.gov
• Oklahoma provides an example Medicaid Income Pension Trust on OKDHS Form 08MA011E that families or their attorney can use as a guide.oklahoma.gov
• Oklahoma seeks recovery against the estates of certain Medicaid members who got care on or after July 1, 1994, when they were 55 or older.oklahoma.gov

Every certified nursing home in Oklahoma, with which ones take Medicaid.

Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services)

• In Pennsylvania, a nursing home resident whose income is over the special income limit is checked for Medically Needy Only Medical Assistance, a spend down where the nursing home cost counts as a medical expense.services.dpw.state.pa.us
• In Pennsylvania, when income after deductions is above the Medically Needy limit, the county office counts the expected private pay cost of the nursing home as a medical expense deduction.services.dpw.state.pa.us
• Pennsylvania's long-term care resource limit is $2,000 (plus a $6,000 disregard) in the main category and $2,400 in the Medically Needy Only category.services.dpw.state.pa.us
• A Pennsylvania nursing home resident on Medical Assistance keeps a personal needs allowance of $60 a month for clothing and other personal needs.services.dpw.state.pa.us
• Pennsylvanians can apply for Medical Assistance long-term care online through COMPASS.services.dpw.state.pa.us

Every certified nursing home in Pennsylvania, with which ones take Medicaid.

Rhode Island (Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services)

• In Rhode Island, people getting Medicaid long-term services and supports whose income is above 300% of the SSI benefit are covered as medically needy and must spend down their excess income to stay eligible.rules.sos.ri.gov
• Rhode Island long-term care Medicaid members who are medically needy must spend down excess income to keep their eligibility.rules.sos.ri.gov
• A Rhode Island nursing facility resident on Medicaid who is not a veteran keeps a personal needs allowance totaling forty-five dollars ($45.00) a month.rules.sos.ri.gov
• To qualify for Rhode Island Medicaid long-term care, a person's resources such as cash and savings must be less than $4,000.eohhs.ri.gov

Every certified nursing home in Rhode Island, with which ones take Medicaid.

South Dakota (South Dakota Department of Social Services)

• South Dakota is an income cap state. A nursing facility resident whose monthly income is above three hundred percent of the SSI benefit is not eligible on income alone, and the rule cross-references the Medicaid income trust (a Miller trust) as the way to qualify.sdlegislature.gov
• In South Dakota, a Medicaid income trust may hold only the person's own pension, Social Security or other income.sdlegislature.gov
• In South Dakota, the trustee must pay the nursing facility each month the income left in the trust, which lowers what the state pays.sdlegislature.gov
• A South Dakota nursing facility resident on Medicaid keeps one hundred dollars a month for personal needs.sdlegislature.gov

Every certified nursing home in South Dakota, with which ones take Medicaid.

Texas (Texas Health and Human Services Commission)

• Texas has a special income limit for nursing home Medicaid. A person whose income is above it can still qualify by putting income into a qualified income trust (Miller trust).fhb.hhs.texas.gov
• In 2026 the monthly special income limit for nursing home Medicaid in Texas is $2,982 for one person and $5,964 for a couple.fhb.hhs.texas.gov
• For nursing home Medicaid in Texas, a single person can have no more than $2,000 in countable resources.fhb.hhs.texas.gov
• A Texas nursing home resident on Medicaid keeps a personal needs allowance of $75 a month.fhb.hhs.texas.gov
• Texas publishes a sample qualified income trust form. It meets the basic Medicaid rules for a QIT but is not the only form allowed, and the state reviews the trust papers as part of the application.fhb.hhs.texas.gov
• In Texas, the income a QIT is set up for must be deposited into the trust in the same month it is received, and the whole income source must go in.fhb.hhs.texas.gov
• In Texas, people apply for Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities, which covers nursing home care, with Form H1200.fhb.hhs.texas.gov
• Texas may file a claim against the estate of a Medicaid recipient who was 55 or older when they received long-term care services.fhb.hhs.texas.gov

Every certified nursing home in Texas, with which ones take Medicaid.

Virginia (Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services)

• In Virginia, a nursing home resident whose income is above 300% of the SSI limit is placed on a monthly medically needy spenddown, if they fit a medically needy group and meet the resource limit.dmas.virginia.gov
• For a Virginia nursing facility resident on spenddown, the expected cost of the month's facility care is projected at the start of the month, and each month of care is its own spenddown period.dmas.virginia.gov
• Virginia's 300% of SSI income limit for long-term services and supports is $2,982 a month, effective January 1, 2026.dmas.virginia.gov
• A Virginia nursing facility resident on Medicaid keeps a personal needs allowance of $40 a month.dmas.virginia.gov
• Virginia's resource limit for one person in these long-term care groups is $2,000.dmas.virginia.gov

Every certified nursing home in Virginia, with which ones take Medicaid.

Washington (Washington State Health Care Authority)

• Washington covers nursing home residents whose income is above the special income level through its SSI-related medically needy program, which can include a spenddown.app.leg.wa.gov
• In Washington, a nursing home resident whose remaining income is above the state-contracted rate but below the private rate can be approved for a three-month or six-month base period under the medically needy spenddown.app.leg.wa.gov
• A Washington nursing home resident on the medically needy program pays income and any excess resources toward the cost of care.app.leg.wa.gov
• Washington's personal needs allowance for nursing home residents is adjusted each year by the Social Security cost of living increase, starting January 1, 2024.app.leg.wa.gov

Every certified nursing home in Washington, with which ones take Medicaid.

West Virginia (West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance)

• In West Virginia, a nursing facility resident who cannot get full Medicaid without a spenddown applies in the Nursing Facility coverage group or the SSI-related monthly spenddown group.bfa.wv.gov
• In West Virginia, the spenddown amount is compared with the nursing facility's Medicaid cost of care to decide eligibility.bfa.wv.gov
• A West Virginia nursing facility resident on Medicaid keeps a $50 personal needs allowance.bfa.wv.gov

Every certified nursing home in West Virginia, with which ones take Medicaid.

Wisconsin (Wisconsin Department of Health Services)

• In Wisconsin, a nursing home resident whose income is above the institutions categorically needy limit can still qualify for medically needy Medicaid if income is not greater than monthly need, which includes the private nursing home rate.emhandbooks.wisconsin.gov
• For Wisconsin nursing home Medicaid, monthly need is the amount by which the resident's expenses exceed income. It adds the personal needs allowance, the private rate of the nursing home, health insurance and other medical costs.emhandbooks.wisconsin.gov
• Wisconsin's institutions categorically needy income limit is $2,982 a month, effective January 1, 2026.emhandbooks.wisconsin.gov
• Wisconsin's asset limit for an unmarried person on elderly, blind or disabled Medicaid is $2,000.emhandbooks.wisconsin.gov
• A Wisconsin nursing home resident on Medicaid keeps a personal needs allowance of $55 a month (effective July 1, 2024).emhandbooks.wisconsin.gov
• Wisconsin's Estate Recovery Program may seek repayment for all Medicaid services received while living in a nursing home on or after October 1, 1991.emhandbooks.wisconsin.gov

Every certified nursing home in Wisconsin, with which ones take Medicaid.

Common questions

What is the Medicaid look-back period for a nursing home?

Medicaid looks back 60 months (five years) before a nursing home application for gifts or transfers of assets made for less than their value. Such transfers can cause a period when Medicaid will not pay for nursing home care.

What is a Miller trust (qualified income trust)?

Federal law allows a trust made up only of a person's pension, Social Security and other income, with the state repaid from what is left in it at death. This is the qualified income trust, also called a Miller trust. On this page, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas use one for income over the limit.

Which states let you spend down income for nursing home Medicaid?

Of the states on this page, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin describe a medically needy or spend down path on their own Medicaid pages.

A home that is certified for Medicaid can still have no Medicaid bed open: ask its admissions office. This page explains public rules; for a decision about your own money, ask your state Medicaid office.