What are Michigan's Medicaid asset limits for nursing home care in 2026?
MDHHS's eligibility manual (BEM 400) lists $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple effective January 1, 2026, for the SSI-related Medicaid categories it names; MDHHS began applying this higher Medicare Savings Program limit to those groups on February 1, 2025.
Last verified: October 2026Before February 2025 those groups were limited to $2,000 to $3,000. Not every asset counts -- a home, one vehicle and certain burial funds are typically excluded -- and MDHHS decides what is countable for each case.
How much of a nursing home resident's income goes to the nursing home?
Most of it. After eligibility, Michigan calculates a patient-pay amount -- income minus allowed deductions -- that the resident pays the nursing home each month. The patient allowance a resident keeps for personal needs is $60 a month ($90 for certain veterans receiving a VA improved pension).
Other deductions can include health insurance premiums and an allowance for a spouse still living at home. The patient-pay amount is recalculated when income changes.
What can a spouse living at home keep?
Michigan protects part of a couple's assets for the community spouse. The protected amount is the greatest of several figures, with a 2026 minimum resource standard of $32,532 and a cap of $162,660 on the half-of-assets calculation (BEM 402).
MDHHS takes a snapshot of the couple's combined countable assets at the start of the first continuous period of care (the initial asset assessment) and protects the greater of the minimum standard or half that total, up to the cap. Get the assessment right before spending anything down; an elder law attorney is worth the fee here.
Is Healthy Michigan the same as nursing home Medicaid?
No. The Healthy Michigan Plan is Michigan's Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion for adults 19 to 64; long-term care Medicaid for older adults runs through a separate SSI-related pathway with its own asset test.
Apply through MI Bridges or a local MDHHS office. Nursing homes have business offices that help residents apply; ask whether a bed is Medicaid-certified before admission, because some homes limit how many Medicaid residents they accept. Our nursing home directory lists every certified home in the area.
How long does a Michigan Medicaid application take?
It depends on how complete the paperwork is; missing statements are the usual delay, so gather them before applying.
Nursing homes may ask families to sign a financial agreement on admission. Read it carefully and do not personally guarantee payment for a parent's care.
