How Medicaid Can Help Pay for Long-Term Care in Mississippi
Mississippi lets you keep more in savings than most states — and a denial earlier this year might not still apply. Here's what's actually true in 2026.
This page is Mississippi-specific. Medicaid long-term care rules vary significantly by state. See our national Medicaid Waivers Explained guide if you're elsewhere.
A more generous asset limit than most states
Mississippi's Medicaid asset limit for long-term care is $4,000 for a single applicant — double the $2,000 federal standard most states use — and $6,000 for a married couple both applying. If you've been told the standard $2,000 figure applies everywhere, that's the wrong number for Mississippi.
A real reason to reapply if you were denied earlier this year
Mississippi's MAGI-based income limits update on March 1 each year, when the state adopts updated Federal Poverty Level guidelines. If you applied in January or February and were denied for being slightly over the limit, reapplying after March 1 could genuinely change the outcome — the same detail that trips people up in a handful of other states with a similar update calendar.
Two separate HCBS waivers
Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Waiver
Assisted Living (AL) Waiver
Setting
Your own home
Assisted living residence
Services
Personal care, adult day services, home health support
Personal care within an assisted living setting
Entitlement?
No — limited slots, waitlists possible
No — limited slots, waitlists possible
Source: Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM); figures effective 2026.
What Mississippi residents actually keep
Mississippi's nursing home Personal Needs Allowance is $44/month — among the lowest in the country, similar in tier to Virginia's $40. This is worth planning around specifically for small personal expenses, since it isn't a large amount to work with.
The 2026 financial numbers
1
Income limit: $2,982/month (300% of the federal benefit rate), the same figure used for nursing home Medicaid and both HCBS waivers.
2
Community Spouse Resource Allowance: up to $162,660, with a Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance up to $4,066.50 for the non-applicant spouse.
3
Burial fund exemption: up to $6,000 set aside for burial expenses is exempt from the asset count, on top of the $4,000 general asset limit.
If your income is over the limit
Mississippi calls its version of a Qualified Income Trust simply an Income Trust. It's required if your gross monthly income exceeds $2,982 — Mississippi doesn't offer a spend-down alternative, so this trust is the only route in for over-income applicants.
How to actually start
1
Apply through AccessMS or call the Mississippi Division of Medicaid at 1-800-421-2408 — ask specifically whether the E&D Waiver or AL Waiver better fits your situation.
2
If income was the reason for a denial earlier this year, reapply after March 1 rather than assuming the denial is final.
Common Questions
What is Mississippi's Medicaid asset limit for long-term care?
$4,000 single, $6,000 married couple — double the $2,000 federal standard most states use.
If I was denied Mississippi Medicaid for income in January or February, should I reapply?
Possibly — limits update March 1 each year, and reapplying after that date could change the outcome.