Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD)

The Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD) program lets Minnesotans with disabilities work and earn any level of income, while keeping access to Medical Assistance (MA) coverage. MA-EPD also has a higher asset limit than MA usually does for people with disabilities. So, if you get MA due to your disability and start working, you can get MA-EPD and save up more money without losing your health coverage.

Eligibility

To qualify for MA-EPD, you must be:

• A Minnesota resident
• Certified disabled by the Social Security Administration or the State Medical Review Team (SMRT)
• Working
• Paying Medicare and Social Security taxes
• Earning at least $65 per month

To get MA-EPD, you have to pay a monthly premium based on your income and household size.

For detailed eligibility and application information, read DB101’s MA-EPD article.

MA-EPD Prescription Benefits

With MA-EPD, you don't pay anything when you get a prescription drug (there are no copayments).

Medicare Part D and MA-EPD

You do not have to participate in Medicare Part D to qualify for MA-EPD. But, if you refuse Part D coverage, you won't have any prescription drug coverage. MA-EPD will not pay for your prescription drugs if you are also eligible for Medicare. You should definitely enroll in both MA-EPD and Medicare if you can.

When you are enrolled in both, you automatically qualify for the Part D Low Income Subsidy. That means that if you enroll in a benchmark plan, you don’t have to pay any Part D premium or deductible. All you'll pay when you get a prescription drug is a $1.55 – $11.20 copayment.