New York Medicaid income limit for long-term care (2026)
By Bennett Dixon, founder of MedicaidChecklist · Every figure cited to an official source · Last verified
For 2026, New York's published income limit for long-term-care Medicaid — the coverage behind New York State Medicaid (Institutional / Nursing Home Medicaid) and Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) and Community Medicaid with Community-Based Long-Term Care — is $1,836 per month for a single applicant.
2026 income limit (single applicant)
$1,836/mo
Income allowance for a spouse at home
$4,066.50–$4,066.50/mo
If the at-home spouse's own income is below this allowance, part of the applicant's income can be directed to them.
How the limit works here
$1,836/month is the 2026 Medically Needy Income Level (MNIL) for a single person (138% FPL; $2,489 for a couple), effective January 1, 2026 per GIS 26 MA/05. New York institutional budgeting works differently: a nursing home resident is not subject to an income 'cap' — virtually all monthly income must be paid to the facility as the Net Available Monthly Income (NAMI), and the resident keeps only a $50/month personal needs allowance. Income above the MNIL does not disqualify an applicant; it becomes spend-down/excess income (community) or NAMI (institutional).
Income over the limit: the published pathways
An application is not simply over when income is over the figure — New York publishes what happens next. Whether and how a pathway applies to a specific family is a question for the agency or an elder-law attorney.
Excess Income (Spend-Down / Surplus Income) Program
New York is a medically-needy state, so having income above the Medicaid level does not disqualify you. The amount over the limit is your 'excess income,' which works like a monthly deductible: once you show medical bills equal to that amount in a given month, Medicaid pays your remaining covered bills for that month. You can also use the Pay-In option and pay the excess amount directly to your local social services district. For hospital/inpatient coverage, you must show bills equal to six months of excess income.
official sourcePooled Trust to Eliminate the Spend-Down
A person who is certified disabled (any age, including 65+) can deposit their monthly excess income into a pooled supplemental needs trust run by a non-profit. Income placed in an approved pooled trust is disregarded in the Medicaid budget, so the person qualifies without paying a spend-down, and the trust can pay their living expenses. The trust document and proof of monthly deposits must be submitted to the local social services district for approval. This is widely used to qualify for Medicaid home care (community Medicaid) with income over the limit.
official sourceHow this compares to other states
| State | Income limit (single applicant, monthly) | Year |
|---|---|---|
| California | $1,836/month | 2026 |
| Michigan | $2,982/month | 2026 |
| New York | $1,836/month | 2026 |
| Ohio | $2,982/month | 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | $2,982/month | 2026 |
| Texas | $2,982/month | 2026 |
Full table with context: Medicaid income limits by state.
The figures on this page are New York's published 2026 rules, cited to the official source and last verified 2026-07-14. Eligibility decisions are made only by New York State Department of Health (Office of Health Insurance Programs); applications handled by Local Departments of Social Services (HRA in New York City) — no checklist, calculator, or company can decide for it. Applying is always free through the state agency.
A note on limits of this page: whether and how any rule applies to a specific family is a question only the state agency — or an elder-law attorney — can answer. MedicaidChecklist publishes the rules and helps you prepare and organize the application; it does not give legal advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to move, transfer, or restructure money or property.
New York guideNew York asset limitNew York look-back period
Sources
- 2026 Medically Needy Income Level $1,836/month (individual) and $2,489 (couple); resource limits $33,038 (individual) and $44,796 (couple); institutional personal needs allowance $50 — NYS Income and Resource Standards chart attached to GIS 26 MA/05, effective January 1, 2026 — www.health.ny.gov
- 2026 Maximum Federal Community Spouse Resource Allowance $162,660; Minimum State Community Spouse Resource Allowance $74,820; community spouse MMMNA $4,066.50; home equity limit for nursing facility and community-based long-term care $1,130,000 — GIS 26 MA/03 (1/23/2026) — www.health.ny.gov
- Excess Income (spend-down/surplus income) program mechanics, including outpatient monthly spend-down, six-month inpatient rule, and Pay-In option — www.health.ny.gov
- Pooled trusts established for a certified disabled person: income placed in the trust is not counted in the Medicaid budget; trust and monthly deposit statement must be provided to the local district — www.health.ny.gov
- 2026 income/resource levels summary table including institutional income allowance $50/month and home equity $1,130,000 (corroboration) — frblaw.com
- 2026 NY Medicaid long-term care eligibility summary: $1,836/month income, $33,038 assets (single); medically needy / excess income pathway (corroboration) — www.medicaidplanningassistance.org