2026 ALTCS Financial Eligibility Limits for Arizona Medicaid
The Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) is Arizona’s long-term care branch of Medicaid. It helps pay for nursing homes, assisted living, and in-home care when an applicant meets both medical and financial criteria. For many families, understanding the income and resource rules is the most confusing part of the process.
This page summarizes the key ALTCS financial eligibility standards for 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, including income caps, resource allowances, community spouse protections, and related Medicare figures. All amounts are taken from the State of Arizona’s Eligibility Standards Desk Aid and are provided here in a convenient, easy-to-read format.
These numbers are a starting point only. There are exceptions, planning strategies, and special rules for married couples, people with excess income, and those who have already transferred assets. You should speak with an ALTCS planning professional before relying on any single number or rule.
Updated to include 2026 ALTCS financial standards.
Federal Benefit Rates (FBR) and 300% Income Standard
Several ALTCS income tests are tied to the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR), which is the basic federal SSI payment amount. In particular, the maximum gross income for most institutional and home-and-community-based ALTCS applicants is set at 300% of the individual FBR.
| Standard | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual FBR / Single-parent allocation | $914.00 | $943.00 | $967.00 | $994.00 |
| Couple FBR / Two-parent allocation | $1,371.00 | $1,415.00 | $1,450.00 | $1,491.00 |
| Institutional FBR | $30.00 | $30.00 | $30.00 | $30.00 |
| 300% of Individual FBR (ALTCS income cap) | $2,742.00 | $2,829.00 | $2,901.00 | $2,982.00 |
| Child allocation | $457.00 | $472.00 | $483.00 | $497.00 |
| 15% of Individual FBR | $137.10 | $141.45 | $145.05 | $149.10 |
Medicare Part B Premiums & Part D Extra Help Benchmarks
Standard Medicare Part B Premium
| Year | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| 2023 | $164.90 |
| 2024 | $174.70 |
| 2025 | $185.00 |
| 2026 | $202.90 |
Arizona Part D “Extra Help” Benchmark
| Year | Monthly Benchmark Amount |
|---|---|
| 2023 | $42.60 |
| 2024 | $43.18 |
| 2025 | $30.10 |
| 2026 | $32.60 |
Community Spouse Resource & Income Protections
When only one spouse needs long-term care and applies for ALTCS, the other spouse is called the community spouse. Federal and state law allow the community spouse to keep certain resources and income so that they are not left destitute.
| Standard | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum CSRD | $29,724.00 | $30,828.00 | $31,584.00 | $32,532.00 |
| Maximum CSRD | $148,620.00 | $154,140.00 | $157,920.00 | $162,660.00 |
| Maximum MMMNA | $3,715.50 | $3,853.50 | $3,948.00 | $4,066.50 |
Standard Utility Allowance (SUA)
| Effective Date | Monthly Amount |
|---|---|
| 10/1/2023 | $318.00 |
| 10/1/2024 | $314.00 |
| 10/1/2025 | $329.00 |
Monthly Spousal Need & Dependent Allowances
| Standard | 2023–24 | 2024–25 | 2025–26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Spousal Need (MSN) | $2,465.00 | $2,555.00 | $2,644.00 |
| 30% of MSN | $740.00 | $767.00 | $793.00 |
| Max dependent allowance | $822.00 | $852.00 | $881.00 |
Note: These ALTCS and Arizona Medicaid financial limits come from the State of Arizona’s Eligibility Standards Desk Aid and are subject to change. Eligibility is always determined on a case-by-case basis.
