Guide · Health & Medical · 7 min read · Updated 2026-01-10

Medicaid Eligibility 2026: Income Limits in Every State

Medicaid income limits for 2026, state by state. Expansion vs non-expansion states, coverage for kids, pregnant women, and disabled adults.

Medicaid covers over 80 million Americans. If your income is low-to-moderate, you almost certainly qualify — especially in the 41 states that expanded Medicaid.

Expansion states (138% FPL cutoff for adults)

If you live here, single adults earning under ~$20,800/yr qualify: AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, DC

Non-expansion states (much stricter)

In FL, GA, KS, MS, SC, TN, TX, WI, WY — adult coverage is limited to parents earning under ~15% FPL. Kids, pregnant women, elderly, and disabled still have standard coverage.

Who always qualifies

• Kids under 19 up to 200%+ FPL
• Pregnant women up to 138–220% FPL depending on state
• Adults 65+, blind, or disabled (SSI recipients auto-enroll)
• Parents of dependent children (expansion state limits apply)

Required documents

• Photo ID
• Social Security number (or immigration docs)
• Proof of income (3 most recent pay stubs)
• Proof of residency
• Proof of pregnancy (if applicable)

Apply fast during Open Enrollment (Nov–Jan)

Outside Open Enrollment, you can still apply anytime for Medicaid — it has no enrollment window. Coverage starts the month you apply.

Don't lose it — renew yearly

Medicaid requires annual renewal. Missing the form = coverage termination. We'll send you reminders on UnifiedAid.

CHIP for kids

If your kids don't qualify for Medicaid, CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) covers them at up to 300% FPL in most states — often free or low-cost.

UnifiedAid is an independent service and is not a government agency. Applications and approval decisions are made only by the official agency.

Read this guide on UnifiedAidSee the program