STATE PROFILE • Last updated: November 11, 2026
Minnesota Elder Care & Medicaid
Minnesota's Medical Assistance for seniors offers home and community-based services through the Elderly Waiver, allowing self-direction, with eligibility tied to nursing home level of care and specific financial limits.
leaderboard
RANKED #8
GRADE A
FEATURED
Medicaid Coverage Guide for Minnesota
Full breakdown of Elderly Waiver (EW) for seniors: waiver programs, nursing home eligibility, income and asset limits, spend-down rules, and how to apply.
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Program
Elderly Waiver (EW)
Income cap
No cap
Medically-needy
Yes
Elder Care Index Report Card
5-pillar composite scoring vs other states
A
Grade
AFFORDABILITY
GRADE C · 73
QUALITY
GRADE D · 42
STAFFING
GRADE A · 63
ACCESS
GRADE A · 62
MEDICAID SUPPORT
GRADE C · 33
CMS rates this state's 2023 home-care spending data as unreliable, so that input is scored at the national average.
Composite score: 72.5 / 100 (50 = average state)
Methodology arrow_forward
Minnesota At a Glance
Nursing Home Facilities
338
Senior Medicaid Waivers
1
National Rank
#8 / 51
Range #2–#10 when the pillar weights shift
Senior Care Costs in Minnesota
local_hospital
Nursing Home
$12,532/mo
+13.5% vs national avg
- 338 nursing homes · 24,198 beds
- Avg CMS rating 3.17★ (86 rated 5★, 64 rated 1★)
- 4.23 nurse hrs/resident/day (1.06 RN)
Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare
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home_health
Home Health Aide
$29/hr
+7.4% vs national avg
- Median aide wage $17.41/hr
- ~120,390 aides employed statewide
Source: BLS OEWS
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