Medicaid Equal Standards Act

This bill mandates that states establish a resources test for individuals covered under the Medicaid expansion population. This test will be a condition of eligibility for medical assistance, ensuring that individuals meet specific financial criteria beyond income. The legislation sets a baseline resource limit, beginning at $10,000 in 2029 , which will be adjusted annually and every four years based on inflation; for married individuals, this limit is doubled. States are granted significant flexibility to either impose a lower resource limit or include additional resources that would typically be excluded under Supplemental Security Income (SSI) rules, and these state elections cannot be denied. The resources test must be applied both at the time of an individual's initial eligibility determination and during each subsequent redetermination. The bill clarifies that states will not face penalties related to federal matching funds solely because individuals are found ineligible due to failing this new resources test. These provisions are set to take effect on January 1, 2029 .