Medical Assistance (MA) is Minnesota’s version of the federal program Medicaid.

There are a variety of benefits available through MA, that are not generally available through employer-based health care plans, making MA a good option for individuals with disabilities. To qualify for MA based on a disability, an individual must be certified as disabled by the the State Medical Review Team (SMRT). Once an individual is certified as disabled by the SMRT, then they are eligible for MA benefits through their county of residence.

The cost of MA to an individual with a disability depends on a number of factors, including the individual’s age, family size, and income. For a children with disabilities, MA assesses a Parental Fee based on the parents’ family size and income. Here is a link to Minnesota’s Parental Fee Estimator: pfestimator.dhs.mn.gov

We are available to assist you at every step of the process from the initial application, the in-home waiver assessment, and even MA appeals if you feel that the county has made the wrong decision.

For adults with disabilities, MA only looks at the individual’s assets and income, and not their parents’ assets and income. In general, for single adults with disabilities, MA has an asset limit of $3,000 and an income limit of $1,041.

If an in individual is over the income limit, then they may be subject to an MA “spend down” or qualify for MA-EPD, MA for employed persons with disabilities.

There are some assets that do not count towards an individual’s asset limit, including one house, one car, household goods, money in a special needs trust, money in a supplemental needs trust, and money in an ABLE account.

MA covers a broad range of medical services, including doctor visits, ER services, eye glasses, hospital services, lab services, urgent care, prescription medications, labs and x-rays, and chiropractor care. MA will also cover Personal Care Assistant (PCA) services.

Many individuals who receive MA also apply for a Medical Assistance waiver. MA waivers are designed to provide individualized services to allow individuals with disabilities to live in their communities, rather than live in a formal care facility.

Through MA waivers, individuals are able to access critical services such as assistive technology, chore services, respite care, environmental adaptions, homemaker services, supported employment services, transportation services, and independent living skills training.

Not all individuals who qualify for MA will also qualify for a waiver. To qualify for a waiver, the county must assess the individual’s needs and determine what level of support the individual requires to remain in their community. These assessments typically take place in the individual’s home environments.