Medicare-Medicaid Pay-Down of Assets
State law and regulations impose income and asset limits on persons applying for Medicaid.
The income limit for the institutional Medicaid program and certain home and community-based waiver programs is determined by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. For 2025, the Medicaid income limit for individuals eligible for the Nursing Home (institutional) program is $1,305 per month for the person applying, regardless of marital status. To qualify for Medicaid through SSI the income limit for an aged, blind or disabled individual cannot exceed $943 per month or $1,415 for a couple. Resources are limited to $4,000 per person and $8,000 per spouse. If only one spouse is applying, resources are capped at $157,920.
A client may reduce resources to the allowable limit and establish a medical effective date earlier than the month in which the resources are reduced if the excess resources are paid on outstanding medical bills incurred no earlier than the third month prior to the month of the request. If the client reduces resources on outstanding medical bills, the medical effective date would be the first day of the month, retroactive or prospective, in which the last medical bill was paid which reduced the resources to the allowable limit.
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services – Eligibility
Neb. Reg. 477-000-034