Minnesota Medical Assistance 2026: Who Qualifies

MA and MinnesotaCare pay for health care. Neither is cash or a grant, and applying is free. Our Minnesota Medicaid income limits guide lists the income lines for every household size.

Minnesota Health Care Programs at a Glance (November 2026)

Minnesota runs 2 main public programs for people under 65, and one MNsure application checks both. According to the DHS income and asset guidelines and coverage summary Grantsights read on November 13, 2026:

Sources: DHS-3461A, DHS-3860, DHS-4139A and Eligibility Policy Manual sections 1.2.1 and 1.2.4, checked November 13, 2026. The Basic Health Program status is from Medicaid.gov's eligibility levels table (opens in a new tab).

None of these MAGI-based groups has an asset test. MNsure's online application checks you in a fixed order: MA for families, children and adults first, then MinnesotaCare, then advance premium tax credits, then a plan without help. If you qualify for MA, you can't get MinnesotaCare or tax credits instead.

Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare: The Line at 133%

Grantsights analysis of the DHS-3461A and DHS-4139A charts shows a sharp step at 133% of poverty. One dollar under the line, an adult gets MA with no premium and no copays. Just over it, MinnesotaCare costs $16 a month at 130% to 139% of poverty and rises with income to $80 a month at 200%, per the 2026 DHS premium estimator table.

Sources: DHS-4139A (opens in a new tab), effective January 1 to December 31, 2026, and DHS-3860 (opens in a new tab), effective January 1, 2026, checked November 13, 2026.

MinnesotaCare copays for adults 21 and older, per DHS-3860: $28 for a non-preventive visit (none for mental health visits), $100 for an ER visit that doesn't lead to admission, $250 per hospital admission, $10 for eyeglasses, $10 generic or $25 brand for prescriptions up to $70 a month, $45 for radiology, and $0 for dental, outpatient hospital, ambulatory surgery and medical equipment. There's no monthly deductible. People under 21, American Indians who are members of a federally recognized tribe and their households pay no premium, and returning military members are exempt for up to 12 months.

Premiums are due the 15th of the month. The Eligibility Policy Manual gives a one-month grace period: you stay covered that month, but coverage stops at the end of it if the past-due premium isn't paid by noon on the last working day. MinnesotaCare coverage starts on the first of the month after you're approved and the first premium is paid.

Who Qualifies for Medical Assistance in 2026

DHS-3461A sets the MA lines that run from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027:

• Parents, caretaker relatives, adults without children and 19- and 20-year-olds: 133% of poverty.
• Children 2 to 18: 275% of poverty ($6,260 a month for a household of three).
• Infants under 2: 283% of poverty.
• Pregnant women: 278% of poverty, covered through 12 months postpartum.
• People 65+, blind or disabled: 100% of poverty ($1,330 a month for one), with a $3,000 asset limit for one person and $6,000 for two; a spenddown can help people over the line.
• MA for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD): no income limit, but you must be certified disabled, earn more than $65 a month and pay a premium if required.

Noncitizen change, October 1, 2026. The DHS H.R. 1 overview says non-pregnant adults now need to be U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents (after the five-year wait or an exception), Cuban or Haitian entrants or COFA migrants to get full MA. Pregnant women and lawfully present children under 21 aren't affected. Adults who lose MA because of immigration status may still qualify for Emergency Medical Assistance, Refugee Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare, and DHS mailed affected people a notice in an envelope with a purple rectangle reading "Important Information Enclosed." See how Minnesota compares in the national Medicaid income limits guide.

MinnesotaCare and Undocumented Adults

A 2025 Minnesota law changed MinnesotaCare for undocumented adults in 2 steps, and the 2026 statutes show where it landed. Minnesota Statutes section 256L.04 (opens in a new tab), subdivision 10, says:

• New enrollment closed: enrollment for undocumented noncitizens 18 and older was limited to people already enrolled as of June 15, 2025.
• Coverage ended: undocumented noncitizens 18 and older became ineligible on January 1, 2026.
• Children still qualify: the same subdivision still lists undocumented noncitizens among those eligible, so children under 18 who meet the other rules can enroll.

A 2026 bill, House File 4038 (opens in a new tab), introduced March 5, 2026, would have ended MinnesotaCare for all undocumented noncitizens, children included. It was referred to the Health Finance and Policy Committee, and the 2026 edition of the statute still covers children, so the bill hadn't become law as of November 13, 2026.

What undocumented adults can still use. DHS's coverage summary says Emergency Medical Assistance pays for emergency room and hospital treatment of a medical emergency, dialysis, some cancer treatment and a few other services with a care plan. Pregnant women can get MA or CHIP-funded MA during pregnancy and 12 months postpartum whether or not they have lawful status, per the DHS overview.

What Medical Assistance Covers

DHS-3860 says there's no cost sharing in MA. Covered services include doctor and clinic visits, hospital care, prescriptions and medication therapy management, dental care, optical services, mental and behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, OB/GYN care, family planning, hearing aids, home care and personal care assistance, hospice, nursing home care, rehabilitation therapies, medical equipment, interpreter services, telehealth, urgent care, and emergency and non-emergency medical transportation. Chiropractic care is covered only under 21.

Health plans. DHS-3860 says some MA members get their services through a health plan, and MinnesotaCare members may enroll in one; the plan mails its own benefit details. Which plans you can choose depends on your county. DHS's plan listings sit on mn.gov, which blocked automated reads, so ask your county worker or MNsure which plans serve your area.

If you have Medicare, MA can't pay for drugs in the Medicare Part D benefit, and Part D prescriptions may have different copays.

How to Apply, Step by Step

Minnesota has 4 main application forms, and the right one depends on who's in your household.

Step 1: Pick the right application

Source: DHS Eligibility Policy Manual section 1.2.1 (opens in a new tab), checked November 13, 2026.

The MNsure contact center is 1-855-366-7873, and DHS Health Care Consumer Support is 651-297-3862 or 800-657-3672.

Step 2: Know the processing clock

Per the Eligibility Policy Manual (section 1.2.4, published July 2, 2025), agencies must decide within 15 working days for a pregnant applicant, 60 days for disability-based MA and 45 days for everyone else. The clock starts the day the online application is submitted or the agency receives the paper form.

Step 3: Ask for back coverage

Section 1.2.5 lets you request MA for up to 3 months before the month you apply, and you can add the request up to 12 months after the original application. DHS says that for applications submitted on or after January 1, 2027, back coverage shrinks to 1 month for adults without children and 2 months for other MA groups. Someone with unpaid medical bills from fall 2026 should apply before January.

For example, one applicant in Duluth, a 34-year-old bartender living alone who expects $25,000 this year, is over MA's $21,226 yearly line. On the 2026 premium table, that income falls in the 150% to 159% band, so MinnesotaCare would cost her $37 a month, with $28 copays for non-preventive visits (an illustration built from DHS's 2026 forms, not a real case).

Minnesota's 2027 Work Rule and Six-Month Renewals

The DHS H.R. 1 overview dated May 6, 2026, describes 3 changes for MA adults without children, defined as ages 21 through 64 with no children under 19 living with them, not on Medicare and not eligible under another mandatory MA group.

Work or community engagement, from January 1, 2027. Adults without children must show one of these in a month: income of at least $580; a six-month average of $580 for seasonal workers; 80 hours of work or other qualifying activities; 80 hours of community service or a work program; at least half-time school; or a mix totaling 80 hours.

Exemptions DHS lists include American Indian and Alaska Native people, family caretakers of a disabled person, veterans with a total disability rating, people who are medically frail, people meeting MFIP work rules or in a SNAP household and not exempt from SNAP work rules, people in alcohol or substance use disorder treatment, and people incarcerated now or released within the past 3 months.

Six-month renewals. For applications submitted and renewals started on or after January 1, 2027, MA adults without children get six-month eligibility periods. DHS says automatic (ex parte) renewals continue, and people whose eligibility can't be confirmed from data will get a form.

DHS's overview applies these rules to MA. It doesn't describe a work rule for MinnesotaCare, and MinnesotaCare enrollees renew each January, per the Eligibility Policy Manual.

What DHS Doesn't Tell You

Grantsights compared the DHS manual, its forms and the 2026 statutes and found 6 points that are easy to miss:

1. The work rule is narrower in Minnesota. DHS applies it to MA adults without children under 19 at home, so parents of teenagers aren't in the group DHS describes.
2. MA's no-copay rule is a real money difference. A MinnesotaCare enrollee at 150% of poverty pays $37 a month plus $28 per non-preventive visit; the same person under 133% pays nothing.
3. Income charts run on two calendars. MA lines change each July 1, while MinnesotaCare and tax credit lines change each January 1.
4. The grace month has a hard deadline. Noon on the last working day of the month, with no good-cause exception for missed MinnesotaCare premiums.
5. Back coverage can be added late. You have up to 12 months after applying to add a retroactive request, but the look-back itself shortens in 2027.
6. A 2025 bulletin changed appeal deadlines temporarily. The manual lists Bulletin 25-21-02, which extends temporary changes to MA and MinnesotaCare appeal deadlines; Grantsights couldn't open it, so go by the deadline printed on your notice.

Common Mistakes and Red Flags

A common mistake is applying for MinnesotaCare when you'd qualify for MA. MNsure checks MA first, but people who estimate a high yearly income can land in MinnesotaCare and pay premiums they didn't need to; use your real expected income.

Other ways Minnesotans lose coverage:

• Missing a premium. Coverage can stop after the grace month, and restarting means paying the past-due and next month's premiums.
• Not reporting income changes. A drop below 133% can move you from MinnesotaCare to free MA.
• Underestimating the 2027 timing. Adults without children applying in January 2027 should keep proof of December 2026 work, school or volunteer hours.
• Ignoring the purple-rectangle envelope if you're a noncitizen; it may ask you to update your immigration status.

Red flags: avoid anyone who charges to apply or asks for your MNsure password. MNsure navigators, county workers and DHS consumer support help for free.

Appeals: 30 Days, or 90 With Good Cause

You must ask for a hearing within 30 days after you receive a notice, or within 90 days if you show good cause for being late, according to the Eligibility Policy Manual (section 1.3.1.1). There's no cost.

• Online or by mail: form DHS-0033 or a letter to the DHS State Appeals Office, PO Box 64941, St. Paul, MN 55155-0941, or to your county or tribal agency.
• Through MNsure: log in to your account, or mail the MNsure appeal form to 81 East 7th Street, Suite 300, St. Paul, MN 55101-2211.
• By phone: MNsure at 1-855-366-7873.

If you got at least 10 days' notice and appeal before the effective date, benefits continue automatically; MinnesotaCare enrollees must keep paying premiums. An expedited appeal for an urgent health need gets a final decision within three working days.

Other Help in Minnesota

Minnesota Medical Assistance households often qualify for food and heating help too, and 3 programs below have their own guides:

• Food: our Minnesota SNAP benefits guide covers applying, and the Minnesota food stamps guide lists income limits. Being in a SNAP household subject to SNAP work rules is also one of the MA work rule exemptions.
• Heating: the Minnesota LIHEAP guide explains the Energy Assistance Program.
• Rent: a Rochester or St. Cloud renter who's behind can start with the rental assistance programs guide.

Minnesotans checking for other benefits can use Grantsights' free eligibility checker, which points to official programs. Only DHS and its county and tribal agencies can approve MA or MinnesotaCare.

FAQ: Minnesota Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare

How do I apply for Medical Assistance in Minnesota?

At MNsure.org or 1-855-366-7873, or with a paper application sent to your county or tribal agency.

What is the income limit for Minnesota Medical Assistance in 2026?

$1,768 a month for one adult and $3,657 for four, from July 2026 to June 2027.

What is the difference between Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare?

MA has no premiums or copays; MinnesotaCare covers people up to 200% of poverty for $0 to $80 a month per person plus copays.

Can undocumented adults get MinnesotaCare?

No, not since January 1, 2026; children under 18 still can.

Will Minnesota have Medicaid work requirements?

Yes, from January 1, 2027, for MA adults 21 to 64 without children under 19 at home.

How long does Minnesota take to decide an application?

45 days, 15 working days if pregnant, or 60 days for disability-based MA.

How long do I have to appeal a Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare decision?

30 days after the notice, or 90 days with good cause.

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Sources

1. Minnesota DHS: Eligibility Policy Manual home and update log (opens in a new tab), updates through October 28, 2026
2. Minnesota DHS: EPM 1.2.1 Application Forms (opens in a new tab)
3. Minnesota DHS: EPM 1.2.4 Processing Period (opens in a new tab), published July 2, 2025
4. Minnesota DHS: EPM 1.2.5 Retroactive Eligibility (opens in a new tab)
5. Minnesota DHS: EPM 1.3.1.1 Appeals (opens in a new tab)
6. Minnesota DHS: EPM 3.1.2.2 MinnesotaCare Premiums and Cost Sharing (opens in a new tab)
7. Minnesota DHS: DHS-3461A Income and Asset Guidelines (opens in a new tab), revised June 2026
8. Minnesota DHS: DHS-3860 Summary of Coverage, Cost Sharing and Limits (opens in a new tab), effective January 1, 2026
9. Minnesota DHS: DHS-4139A MinnesotaCare Premium Estimator Table (opens in a new tab), 2026
10. Minnesota DHS: H.R. 1 Implementation Update (opens in a new tab), May 6, 2026
11. Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 256L.04 (opens in a new tab)
12. Minnesota Legislature: House File 4038 (2026) (opens in a new tab)
13. Medicaid.gov: Medicaid, CHIP and Basic Health Program eligibility levels (opens in a new tab)
14. eCFR: 42 CFR 435.912 (opens in a new tab)