Around this time each year, Federal CMS and our Wisconsin Division of Medicaid Services publishes Social Security Cost of Living adjustments for the following year.  We encourage appropriate facility staff to review Operations Memo 25-21, the link to which is set forth below, as the “devil really is in the details” for this important information.  In addition, we wish to highlight several important changes for 2026:

• The Institutional Medicaid Categorically Needy monthly income limit will increase from $2901 to $2982;
• The Spousal Impoverishment Monthly Income Allocation will increase from $3948 to $4066.50;
• The Community Spouse Asset Share maximum will increase from $157,920 to $162,660 (if couple’s assets are $325,320 or more);
• The Community Spouse Asset Share maximum if the couple’s assets are between $101,000 – $325,320:  One-half of the total countable assets;
• The Community Spouse Asset Share where the couple’s assets are $100,000 or less:  $50,000;
• Monthly Personal Needs Allowance remains unchanged at $55.

Operations Memo 25-21 Published

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has published Operations Memo 25-21, 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for Medicaid.

This operations memo announces this year’s Social Security COLA and the resulting increase in some Medicaid financial eligibility limits, effective January 1, 2026.