Missouri Medicaid income limits

Last verified: June 2026

MO HealthNet income limits by coverage group (2026)

Missouri uses MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) methodology for most coverage groups. MAGI counts wages, self-employment income, Social Security, unemployment, and most other income sources. The key exception: SSI-related programs and long-term care use non-MAGI rules with separate asset tests.

Source: MO HealthNet Division eligibility documentation, mydss.mo.gov; 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Level guidelines. Annual figures are approximations — verify exact monthly thresholds at mydss.mo.gov or call 855-373-4636. Non-MAGI programs (elderly, blind, disabled) use separate income and asset rules not reflected in this table.

Spend Down: qualifying with income above the limit

Missouri offers a Spend Down option for individuals whose income exceeds the standard MO HealthNet limit but who have significant medical expenses. Spend Down works differently from standard Medicaid: once a member's medical bills in a given month reach a dollar threshold (the "spend down amount"), MO HealthNet activates and covers remaining costs for the rest of that month.

Spend Down is available primarily for elderly, blind, and disabled individuals who would otherwise qualify for Medicaid but for their income. Per the MO HealthNet Division's Spend Down FAQ, members must pay or become liable for the spend down amount before MO HealthNet pays anything — including documenting this through bills or receipts.

Spend Down is not available for the expansion adult group (138% FPL adults). It applies under the non-MAGI eligibility rules for aged and disabled populations. Call 855-373-4636 or visit a local Family Support Division Resource Center to determine if you qualify.

No asset test for expansion adults and children

Missouri's MAGI-based MO HealthNet programs — the expansion adult group, children's coverage, and pregnant women — have no asset test. Savings, vehicles, and home equity are not counted. The non-MAGI programs (elderly, blind, disabled, nursing home coverage) use a $999.99 asset limit for a single individual in most cases — one of the lower asset limits among Medicaid programs nationally. Consult a benefits counselor if assets are near this threshold before applying.

How Medicaid income limits work

Medicaid eligibility is tied to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), a measure the Department of Health and Human Services updates each January. States set their income limits as a percentage of FPL — so when FPL increases, the dollar thresholds for Medicaid also shift.

The Affordable Care Act established a standard income methodology called Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) for most Medicaid applicants. Under MAGI, the agency counts wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security benefits, and most other taxable income. Assets — a savings account, vehicle, home — are not counted for MAGI-based programs. That changed with the ACA and applies in all states.

States that expanded Medicaid under the ACA cover most adults at or below 138% FPL. In non-expansion states, income limits for adults without dependent children are far lower — sometimes as low as a few hundred dollars per month — or eligibility for that category simply doesn't exist.

What counts as income under MAGI

MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) is the income standard for most Medicaid applicants — children, adults under 65, pregnant women, and parents. It includes wages, salary, tips, self-employment income, unemployment benefits, Social Security retirement and disability benefits (SSDI), and most other taxable income.

It does not count child support received, gifts, loans, inheritances that are not generating income, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. One key MAGI rule: the ACA added a 5% FPL income disregard for most adults, which effectively raises the usable threshold by that amount. So a state with a 133% FPL limit effectively covers adults to about 138% FPL after the disregard.

Assets — a bank account, car, or home — are not counted for MAGI-based programs. That's a major difference from old-law Medicaid, where asset tests were common. If you previously didn't qualify because of assets, your eligibility may have changed after the ACA.

Asset limits and long-term care Medicaid

MAGI-based programs have no asset test. But Medicaid programs that cover long-term care — nursing home care, home and community-based services for seniors — use the old income and asset methodology, which does include asset limits.

Asset limits for long-term care Medicaid vary by state and are updated periodically. Generally, countable assets above the limit must be spent down before an applicant qualifies. Exempt assets — the primary home (in most circumstances), one vehicle, and certain personal property — are not counted.

Specific asset limits for Missouri's long-term care programs are on the seniors and long-term care page. The thresholds change, so verify current figures with MO HealthNet (Missouri Medicaid) directly.