Certain Medicaid income and resource standards are adjusted beginning each January in accordance with changes in the SSI federal benefit rate (FBR) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Many states offer categorical eligibility to individuals who are not receiving SSI but who meet the financial eligibility requirements of the program. Most states have adopted the “special income level” institutional eligibility category of the Social Security Act, the maximum income standard for which is 300% of the SSI FBR.
Certain eligibility standards relating to coverage of long-term services and supports, including the home equity limitation in section 1917(f) of the Act and elements of the spousal impoverishment statute in section 1924 of the Act, are increased each year based on increases in the CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).
2022 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
| Individual | Couple | |
| SSI Federal Benefit Rate (FBR) | $841 | $1,261 |
| SSI Resource Standard | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| Income Cap Limit (300%) | $2,523 | n/a |
| Earned Income Break Even Point | $1,767 | $2,607 |
| Unearned Income Break Even Point | $861 | $1,281 |
| Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) Limit: | $1,350.00 | Blind SGA: $2,260.00 | |||||||
| CPI Increase for 2022: | 5.4% | |||
| CPI Increase, Since September 1988: | 129.0% | |||
Spousal Impoverishment
| Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (MMMNA) (Effective 7-1-21) |
$2,177.50 | All States (Except Alaska and Hawaii) | ||
| $2,721.25 | Alaska | |||
| $2,505.00 | Hawaii | |||
| Maximum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance | $3,435.00 | |||
| Community Spouse Monthly Housing Allowance (Effective 7-1-21) |
$653.25 | All States (Except Alaska and Hawaii) | ||
| $816.38 | Alaska | |||
| $751.50 | Hawaii | |||
Community Spouse Resources
| Minimum Resource Standard: | 27,480 | ||||||||
| Maximum Resource Standard | 137,400 | ||||||||
Home Equity Limits
| Minimum: | $636,000 |
| Maximum: | $955,000 |
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