Which states still use a $2,000 Medicaid asset limit in 2026 and where can official state tables be found?
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Executive summary
Most states in 2026 continue to apply a $2,000 countable-asset limit for individuals seeking long‑term‑care (non‑MAGI) Medicaid, with only a handful of notable exceptions such as California, Illinois and New York that have different, higher thresholds or recent changes; authoritative, state‑level tables can be found on state Medicaid agency websites and in several widely used aggregator tables (MedicaidPlanningAssistance.org, CheckMedicaid, Jarvis Law), which are cited below [1] [2] [3] [4].
1. The baseline: “$2,000” remains the de facto national floor
Multiple long‑term‑care guidance and planning sites report that in most states the individual asset limit for institutional or long‑term‑care Medicaid remains $2,000 for 2026, and that this rule applies to Aged, Blind and Disabled and many Nursing Home/HCBS pathways unless a state explicitly sets a different amount (Medicaid Planning Assistance; ElderCare Resource Planning; CheckMedicaid) [1] [5] [3].
2. The exceptions that matter: California, Illinois, New York and a few outliers
Published trackers and state analyses identify a small set of exceptions: Illinois’ individual long‑term‑care asset ceiling is listed at $17,500 (an increase implemented in 2023) and New York and California are repeatedly called out as higher‑limit states—New York with a noted higher threshold in recent tables and California moving through a policy reversal (elimination then reinstatement) that results in a reinstated high non‑MAGI asset limit effective January 1, 2026 [1] [6] [4] [7]. Some older compilations also note lower or unique figures in particular states (e.g., Connecticut was cited historically at $1,600), underscoring state variability [8].
3. Why state by state matters: program type and definitions vary
The $2,000 figure applies primarily to non‑MAGI long‑term‑care Medicaid; MAGI‑based Medicaid (most adults, families, pregnant people) typically does not count assets, so asset limits vary by program and pathway (institutional/HCBS/medically needy) and states sometimes use different rules for each program—meaning a single “state asset limit” can be program‑specific [3] [6] [2].
4. Where to find official, up‑to‑date state tables
For the most reliable, official source, use each state’s Medicaid agency or department of health website and its published eligibility tables or manual; state portals are recommended by practitioner guides and state‑specific pages such as Florida’s portal (CheckMedicaid) [9] [3]. For comprehensive, user‑friendly aggregations that compile state tables and cite sources, the Medicaid Planning Assistance eligibility pages and income/asset charts aggregate 2026 state limits and note exceptions (MedicaidPlanningAssistance.org) [2] [1]. Other frequently referenced aggregators include CheckMedicaid, Jarvis Law Office’s 2026 charts, and WorldPopulationReview’s state rankings—useful for quick comparisons but not substitutes for the primary state agency pages [3] [10] [11].
5. How to use these sources practically and the limits of existing reporting
Aggregators are valuable starting points because they compile disparate state rules (Medicaid Planning Assistance; Jarvis; WorldPopulationReview), but they sometimes lag or interpret program distinctions—so confirmation on the state Medicaid website is essential before planning or applying [2] [10] [11]. Reporting in these sources also flags recent, state‑level policy changes—most prominently California’s 2024 elimination and 2026 reinstatement of non‑MAGI asset limits—illustrating why a cross‑check of the state’s official page is required [4] [7]. The available sources document the “most states = $2,000” reality and name the principal exceptions, but none of the provided materials delivers a single, official federal table that lists every state’s 2026 asset limit in one government document; users must rely on state agency pages or the cited aggregators for consolidated views [1] [2] [3].
6. Bottom line for researchers and planners
In 2026, the practical rule is that most states still use a $2,000 individual asset limit for long‑term‑care Medicaid, with notable exceptions (California, Illinois, New York, and a small number of other states with unique figures) that should be verified on the relevant state Medicaid agency site; consult MedicaidPlanningAssistance.org, CheckMedicaid, Jarvis Law’s 2026 charts and each state’s official Medicaid portal for the current tables and program‑specific rules [1] [2] [3] [10] [9].