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Medicaid Planning · Iowa

Iowa Medicaid look-back rules

Medicaid look-back rules rules for Iowa.

Published: September 4, 2026. Last checked: September 5, 2026.

Look-back period

60 months for transfers made on or after February 8, 2006

Source: Iowa Medicaid Employees Manual, Chapter D [state-medicaid-agency] — Transfer-of-assets section revised September 13, 2024

Transfer-penalty divisor

$9,838.96 per month or $323.65 per day

Source: Iowa Medicaid long-term-care penalty divisors [state-medicaid-agency] — Divisors effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027

How the state administers the rule

Iowa divides uncompensated value by the statewide average cost, retains fractional penalty days, and starts the penalty on the later of the transfer date or the date the person is otherwise eligible and receiving institutional care.

Source: Iowa Medicaid Employees Manual, Chapter D [state-medicaid-agency] — Transfer-of-assets section revised September 13, 2024

Sources

Methodology & sources

Checked at least annually and whenever the state publishes a new transfer-penalty divisor or administration rule.

General information, not legal advice.