Health care coverage for people who are age 65 or older

The income limit and whose income is counted depend on who lives with you.

If your income is too high for MA, you may be eligible for a spenddown (PDF). A spenddown is like an insurance deductible. You pay for part of your medical expenses and MA pays the rest.

Yes, usually the home you live in and a car are not counted toward the asset limit.

Yes, but there is an asset limit. Retirement accounts may be considered differently than other assets.

Adults who are age 65 or older, blind or who have a disability must authorize use of the Account Validation Service (AVS) to be eligible for Medical Assistance (MA), including MA for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD), or the Medicare Savings Programs (MSP).

For people 55 years old or older, Minnesota must recover health care costs paid for members from the member's estate. Minnesota recovers payments for all MA services provided to people 55 years old or older.

Minnesota will seek recovery against individuals of any age if the person was:

• Permanently living in an institution
• Receiving MA payments for long-term-care services

Minnesota will also seek recovery against individuals as state and federal law allows.

Most of the time MA services do not have to be paid back until after the member dies and only when there is not a surviving spouse, a child under 21 or a child who has a permanently disability. A claim may be made in the estate of the spouse of the MA member if the MA member is deceased.

The state may file an MA lien against real property to recover MA costs before death, but only for people that are permanently living in an institution. The state may also file a Notice of Potential Claim, a form of lien, against real property after the member dies.

For many people, the only cost is copays for some services. If you are over the income limit, you may have to pay a spenddown.

Coverage may:

• Begin the month that we get your application
• Go back three months from the month we get your application

Call your county or tribal worker if you have questions about when coverage can start.

You may still get coverage. You must tell us if you:

• Have other health insurance
• Could be covered under someone else's insurance
• Could get coverage through an employer or military service

Sometimes we can help pay the cost of your Medicare or other insurance so you can keep that coverage.

• County and tribal offices
• Minnesota Health Care Programs Member Help Desk