If you are wondering whether can you own property and get Medicaid, the first step is identifying which eligibility rules apply to your application.
This guide explains how homes, land, and other real estate may be evaluated, where Virginia’s rules fit, and what to review before making property decisions that could affect your healthcare coverage.
1. Can You Own Property and Get Medicaid?
Yes, property ownership does not automatically prevent Medicaid eligibility. The deciding factors include your coverage category, state rules, income, and whether an asset test applies. Start with that distinction before comparing property values.
Income-Based Medicaid: When Assets Are Not Tested
Modified Adjusted Gross Income, or MAGI, rules apply to most children, pregnant applicants, parents, and expansion adults. Under these pathways, you can own property and get Medicaid without an asset test, provided you meet income and other eligibility requirements.
However, taxable rental income or gains from selling property may affect eligibility under Medicaid’s financial eligibility rules.
Medicaid for Older Adults, People with Disabilities, and Long-Term Care
Many aged, blind, disabled, and long-term care pathways evaluate countable resources, subject to state-specific exceptions. Whether can you own property and get Medicaid through these pathways depends partly on which assets count; a qualifying home may be excluded, while additional real estate may count.
Long-term services and supports can also involve home equity and transfer rules, including for some applicants whose basic coverage uses MAGI.
2. Does Owning Land Disqualify You from Medicaid?
Whether can you own property and get Medicaid depends on how your eligibility pathway treats the land, rather than ownership alone. Under programs with asset tests, the agency examines the parcel’s use, your legal interest, equity, and applicable exclusions.
Land surrounding your primary residence may qualify for a home exclusion, but the rules depend on your state and Medicaid eligibility category.
For example, certain Virginia resource rules limit which adjoining land can be included in an excluded home. A separate vacant lot or inherited parcel may also be counted when an asset test applies.
For property that is potentially countable, Medicaid generally evaluates your ownership interest and available equity. Rental or business property may qualify for different exclusions when specific requirements are met.
| Property type | Possible treatment under asset-tested pathways |
| Primary residence and qualifying adjoining land | May qualify for a home exclusion |
| Separate vacant lot | Usually evaluated as potentially countable property |
| Inherited land | Ownership share and legal availability matter |
| Rental property | Equity may count unless an exclusion applies; income is assessed separately |
| Business or farm property | May qualify for a self-support exclusion |
Joint ownership does not automatically make land unavailable. Provide evidence of restrictions on selling your share; difficulty finding a buyer does not necessarily establish an exclusion.
3. What Is the Maximum Amount of Assets to Qualify for Medicaid?
There is no single asset limit that applies to every Medicaid applicant. The amount you can own depends on your state and the eligibility category you qualify under.
For MAGI-based Medicaid, there is no asset test. However, many programs for older adults and people with disabilities evaluate countable resources.
Virginia’s standard resource limits for certain aged, blind, or disabled Medicaid categories are:
| Eligibility Category | Individual | Two Eligible People |
| Specified ABD categorically needy or medically needy coverage | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| ABD coverage at or below 80% FPL | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| QMB, SLMB, or QI Medicare Savings Programs | $9,950 | $14,910 |
These amounts concern countable resources, not necessarily everything you own.
For example, a qualifying primary residence may be excluded from the ordinary resource calculation, while separate investment property may count.
Long-term-care Medicaid also has additional rules. In Virginia, the 2026 home-equity limit is $752,000 for certain LTSS benefits, subject to applicable exceptions.
Married applicants seeking long-term-care coverage may qualify for spousal resource protections, so their financial assessment can differ from the individual limits above.
Before making property decisions, ask the Medicaid agency which resource rules apply to your specific coverage category.
>>> Read More: Is a Panniculectomy Covered by Medicaid? Check the Requirements
4. Can You Own a House and Be on Medicaid in VA?
Virginia permits homeownership under multiple Medicaid pathways. However, ordinary health coverage and payment for long-term care require different reviews, so confirm which benefit you need before relying on a home exclusion.
Homeownership Under Virginia’s Income-Based Coverage
Virginia’s MAGI-based coverage does not impose an asset test. This means you can own property and get Medicaid through Virginia’s MAGI-based coverage without your home’s value being tested as an asset.
Household income and other requirements still apply, and property-generated income may need to be reported even when the property itself is not tested.
Home Exclusions and Long-Term Care Rules in Virginia
For Virginia Medicaid categories that use an asset test, a primary residence may qualify for an exclusion when the applicable ownership and occupancy conditions are met.
A temporary absence doesn’t always eliminate that exclusion. For example, a person who enters a nursing facility may retain a qualifying home exclusion under applicable intent-to-return or family-occupancy rules.
However, long-term-care Medicaid has another requirement.
In 2026, Virginia generally limits home equity to $752,000 for certain Medicaid-funded long-term services and supports.
This limit does not apply in the same way when the home is occupied by the applicant’s spouse, a qualifying dependent child under 21, or a blind or disabled child of any age.
Owning a home above the equity limit also doesn’t necessarily prevent someone from qualifying for other Medicaid-covered services.
Because these exceptions can significantly affect eligibility, review the Virginia Medicaid Eligibility Manual before deciding whether to sell or transfer your home.
5. What Should Property Owners Check Before Applying?
Before deciding can you own property and get Medicaid, organize the documents showing what you own and how you use it. Accurate records help the agency distinguish excluded property from resources requiring further review.
Property Records, Equity, and Rental Income
Gather deeds, mortgage balances, valuations, ownership agreements, and rental records. Equity generally reflects value after secured debt, with your ownership interest also relevant.
Disclose rental receipts and expenses as requested; income calculations differ by pathway. Include inherited or out-of-state property rather than assuming it falls outside the review.
Selling, Gifting, and Medicaid Estate Recovery
Selling a home or another property may affect Medicaid eligibility, particularly when an asset test applies. For example, selling an excluded home can turn its value into cash that may be counted unless another exclusion applies.
Transferring property for less than fair market value can create additional risks. Medicaid generally reviews certain transfers made during the previous five years when determining eligibility for long-term-care services.
There is also an important difference between Medicaid eligibility and estate recovery.
In Virginia, a home excluded from resource calculations during your lifetime may still become part of an estate recovery claim after death.
The state generally seeks recovery of applicable Medicaid costs paid after age 55, although protections apply for certain surviving family members and hardship situations.
Before transferring ownership or giving away property, consider speaking with an elder-law attorney familiar with Virginia Medicaid rules.
6. Own a Home but Still Watching Your Telecommunications Bills? This May Help
Knowing can you own property and get Medicaid settles a healthcare question, but it says little about how a home’s costs leave room for the phone bill.
That is where Lifeline can help. This separate federal benefit lowers the cost of eligible phone service or internet service through a monthly discount, and it looks at your household’s income and program participation, not whether you own a home.
Medicaid can qualify you, and so can SNAP or SSI. Household income at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines works too. Verification is required, and each household receives one benefit that cannot be transferred.
The discount is built into your plan by an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC), so you apply with one to put it to use, and some eligible plans may come at no monthly charge.
Cintex Wireless is an ETC that goes a step further by offering free or heavily discounted phones, which helps the support last. It is now merging into AirTalk Wireless, which brings wider choices and a simpler sign-up, and applications started with Cintex Wireless may redirect to AirTalk Wireless to finish enrollment.
Depending on your location and current inventory, phones you may come across include:
Selection depends on location, eligibility, and current inventory, and device charges may apply. These offers are provider promotions, not guaranteed federal benefits.
IMPORTANT: The government does not subsidize devices. Lifeline programs cover basic service costs only. Free or discounted devices, upgrade plans, or top-ups are exclusive benefits provided by AirTalk Wireless and Cintex Wireless as part of the promotional offers. Terms and conditions apply. Limited-time promotion—offers vary by state, stock availability, and eligibility.
Conclusion
Whether can you own property and get Medicaid depends on your eligibility pathway and state rules.
MAGI Medicaid has no asset test, while other pathways may count property that doesn’t qualify for an exclusion. If you’re applying for long-term-care Medicaid, home equity and past property transfers deserve additional attention.
Before selling or gifting property, confirm how Medicaid will treat it. A decision that seems straightforward today could affect your eligibility later.
