Medicaid Long-Term Care Guide in Mississippi
Long-term care eligibility, benefits, and how to apply through the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM).
What makes Mississippi Medicaid different
Medicaid in Mississippi is jointly funded by the state and federal government but administered by the state under federally set parameters. The Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) administers the program. In addition to nursing home care and assisted living services, Mississippi Medicaid pays for many non-medical support services that help frail seniors remain living at home.
Administered by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM).
Program Types
Institutional / Nursing Home Medicaid
An entitlement; anyone who is eligible will receive assistance. Benefits are provided in Medicaid-certified nursing home facilities.
Level of care: Nursing Home
Medicaid Waivers / Home and Community Based Services (HCBS)
Not an entitlement; there are a limited number of participant slots and wait lists may exist. Intended to delay nursing home admissions, services are provided at home, adult day care, or in assisted living.
Level of care: Nursing Home
Regular Medicaid / Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD)
An entitlement; anyone who meets the requirements is able to receive benefits. While Regular Medicaid is not Long-Term Care Medicaid, some long-term care benefits, such as personal care assistance or adult day care, may be available.
Level of care: Help with ADLs
2026 Mississippi Medicaid Long-Term Care Eligibility for Seniors
Institutional / Nursing Home Medicaid*
Medicaid Waivers / Home and Community Based Services†
Regular Medicaid / Aged Blind and Disabled
*All of a beneficiary's monthly income, with the exception of a Personal Needs Allowance of $44 / month, Medicare premiums, and possibly a Needs Allowance for a non-applicant spouse, must go towards nursing home costs. This is called a Patient Liability.
†Based on one's living setting, a beneficiary may not be able to keep monthly income up to this level.
Explore Mississippi Medicaid Programs
Compare programs, see caregiver pay rates, get step-by-step application guidance, and check your eligibility — all specific to Mississippi.
Long-term care Medicaid guide
Eligibility · Caregiver pay · How to apply · 2026 data
Important: Rates vary — contact your state Medicaid office for current figures. This tool provides general guidance, not legal or financial advice.
Compare Medicaid Programs — Mississippi
How the main LTC programs available in Mississippi compare side by side.
| Program | Pay | Pay type | Tax-free? | Spouse OK? | Waitlist? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer-directed HCBS | $12–15/hr | Hourly wage | No | Usually no | Often |
| Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) | Not in Mississippi | Daily stipend | Yes | Usually no | Often |
| Personal Care Agreement | Market rate (from assets) | Private pay | No | Yes | No |
| VA Aid & Attendance | Up to $2,874/mo | Monthly pension | Yes | Yes | No |
Mississippi Medicaid programs
HCBS Waiver
Sources: KFF (Jan 2026), medicaidplanningassistance.org (Feb 2026). Programs and rates change — verify with your state Medicaid office.
How Family Caregivers Get Paid Through Medicaid in Mississippi
If you're a family member providing care, you may be able to get paid through Medicaid — often at rates comparable to a home care agency.
Consumer-directed care — hourly pay
Available in MississippiHow it works: The person receiving care becomes the "employer" — they hire you and a fiscal intermediary handles payroll, taxes, and paperwork on their behalf. You receive a paycheck just like a regular job.
How to apply: MDHS · medicaid.ms.gov
Personal Care Agreement — private pay from assets
Available to any familySources: KFF Medicaid Home Care Survey 2025 (Jan 2026), Careforth FAQ (Jan 2026), IRS Notice 2014-7.
How to Apply for Medicaid Long-Term Care in Mississippi
What to expect when applying for LTC Medicaid and getting family caregiver pay set up in Mississippi. The process typically takes 45–90 days from application to first paycheck.
Apply in Mississippi: MDHS · medicaid.ms.gov
Medicaid Eligibility Screener — Mississippi
Answer 7 quick questions — we'll check the financial and care requirements for Mississippi and explain what each one means.
What is the marital status of the person who needs care?
Medicaid looks at only the applicant's income and assets — but being married triggers special protections that let the healthy spouse keep significantly more money.
Sources
- CMS Medicaid — eligibility, HCBS waivers, and long-term services medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility
- CMS Medicaid — Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS) medicaid.gov/medicaid/home-community-based-services
- Social Security Administration — SSI Federal Benefit Rate (2026 figures) ssa.gov/oact/cola/SSI.html
- CMS — Spousal Impoverishment standards (CSRA & MMMNA) medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/spousal-impoverishment
- CMS — Estate Recovery and the 5-year lookback period medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/estate-recovery
- IRS Notice 2014-7 — Tax treatment of Medicaid caregiver payments irs.gov/individuals/certain-medicaid-waiver-payments-may-be-excludable-from-income
Educational guidance only — not legal or financial advice. Your state Medicaid office determines actual eligibility.
Key Rules at a Glance
- Nearly all income is counted, including cash from family/friends, employment wages, alimony, pension payments, annuity payments, SSDI, SSI, IRA withdrawals, and stock dividends.
- Nationally, Holocaust restitution payments are not counted as income.
- In MS, the VA Aid & Attendance, which is above and beyond the Basic VA Pension, does not count.
- When only one spouse applies for Nursing Home Medicaid or an HCBS Waiver, only the applicant's income is counted.
- Mississippi sets the MMNA at the federal maximum of $4,066.50 / month (2026). If a non-applicant's income is under this amount, income can be transferred from the applicant spouse.
- A non-applicant spouse with $4,066.50 or more in monthly income is not entitled to a MMNA / Spousal Income Allowance.
- For Regular Medicaid, both spouses' income is counted. There is no MMNA for a non-applicant spouse.
- In Mississippi, persons eligible for SSI are automatically approved for Medicaid, including long-term care via Regular Medicaid given functional need requirements are met.
- Countable assets include cash (the month after receipt), stocks, bonds, investments, cryptocurrency, bank accounts (money market, savings, checking), pension funds, and real estate in which one does not reside.
- In Mississippi, IRAs and 401Ks in 'payout status' (Required Minimum Distribution being withdrawn) are exempt.
- Non-countable (exempt) assets include personal belongings, household goods/furnishings, up to two automobiles, whole life insurance policies with combined face value up to $10,000, irrevocable burial arrangements, burial spaces, and generally one's primary home.
- Mississippi's LTC asset limit is $4,000 for an individual and $6,000 for a couple.
- All assets of a married couple are considered jointly owned regardless of the Medicaid program.
- The CSRA allows the non-applicant spouse to keep up to $162,660 of the couple's assets (2026).
- There is no CSRA for Regular Medicaid.
- The home is automatically exempt if the applicant's spouse, child under 21, or permanently blind or disabled child (of any age) lives in it.
- If this is not the case, there is a home equity interest limit of $730,000 (in 2026).
- Home equity is the value of the home minus any outstanding debt. Equity interest is the amount of equity owned by the applicant.
- If neither the applicant nor qualifying family live in the home, the applicant must have Intent to Return.
- There is no home equity interest limit for Regular Medicaid.
- The home is NOT exempt from Medicaid's Estate Recovery Program (MERP). After a beneficiary's death, Mississippi's Medicaid agency attempts reimbursement of care costs through the deceased's estate.
- Mississippi has a 60-month Look-Back Period for Nursing Home Medicaid and Medicaid Waiver applications.
- During the look-back, Medicaid checks all past asset transfers, including those by a spouse, to ensure none were gifted or sold under fair market value.
- Violations result in a Penalty Period of Medicaid ineligibility.
- The Look-Back Period does not apply to Regular Medicaid.
- The U.S. Federal Gift Tax Rule ($19,000 per recipient in 2026) does not apply to Medicaid eligibility — gifting under this rule still violates the Look-Back Period.
- MMMNA: $4,066.50 · CSRA: $162,660 · CSRA Min: $32,532
- When only one spouse applies for Nursing Home Medicaid or an HCBS Waiver, only the applicant's income is counted.
- Mississippi sets the MMNA at the federal maximum of $4,066.50 / month (2026). If the non-applicant's income is under this amount, income can be transferred from the applicant spouse.
- The CSRA allows the non-applicant spouse to keep up to $162,660 of the couple's assets (2026).
- For Regular Medicaid, both spouses' income is counted and there is no MMNA or CSRA.
- Qualified Income Trusts (Miller Trusts) — Called 'Income Trusts' in Mississippi. Excess income is deposited into an irrevocable trust managed by a trustee. Funds can only be used for specific purposes such as medical expenses. The Mississippi Division of Medicaid must be listed as the remainder beneficiary, and any excess funds remaining each year must be paid to the State.
- Asset Spend-Down — Spend excess assets on non-countable items such as home modifications (wheelchair ramps, roll-in showers, stair lifts), home improvements (electrical wiring, plumbing, water heaters), vehicle modifications (wheelchair lifts, adaptive controls), prepaying funeral/burial expenses, and paying off debt. Keep documentation as proof the Look-Back Rule was not violated.
- Medicaid Planning — Work with a Medicaid Planning Professional to employ strategies to become eligible and protect your home from Medicaid Estate Recovery.
Mississippi uses Qualified Income Trusts (Miller Trusts / Income Trusts) rather than a Medically Needy Program for persons over the income limit.
Mississippi Medicaid Programs
Assisted Living (AL) Waiver
Supportive services in assisted living communities, including attendant care, homemaker services, medication management, and temporary skilled nursing. Room and board costs are not covered.
Independent Living (IL) Waiver
For individuals 16+ with severe neurological or orthopedic impairments, including Alzheimer's and related dementias, who require a Nursing Facility Level of Care. Services include home modifications, personal care assistance, and specialized medical equipment.
Elderly and Disabled (E&D) Waiver
Supportive services enabling seniors and individuals with disabilities to live at home and in the community. Benefits may include adult day care, meal delivery, personal care assistance, and transitional services from nursing facilities.
How to Apply
- Apply online at AccessMS
- Download the 'Application for Mississippi Medicaid Aged, Blind and Disabled Medicaid Programs'
- Call the Office of Eligibility at 601-359-6050 or 800-421-2408 to request a mailed application
- Submit completed applications to a Division of Medicaid regional office in person, by mail, or fax to 601-576-4164
Applicants should be certain they meet all financial eligibility requirements before submitting an application. The application process may include an in-person interview. Medicaid planning is strongly recommended for those uncertain of eligibility.
More Mississippi Long-Term Care Resources
Take the Next Step for Mississippi Medicaid
Find out if you qualify or see how Medicaid fits into your overall long-term care plan.
Sources & references
Verified May 2026- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — Long-Term Services & Supports
- Administration for Community Living — State Medicaid Agencies
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — Medicaid Eligibility
- American Council on Aging — About Medicaid Planning Assistance
- Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) — Mississippi Medicaid — Official site