How to get Medicaid or low-cost care in Nebraska

What Heritage Health Adult means

Medicaid is a program that pays for health care for people with low incomes. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, called DHHS, runs it. For adults who qualify through expansion, the state uses the name Heritage Health Adult.

KFF, a health policy research group, says Nebraska began covering these adults on October 1, 2020. Voters approved the change in 2018, and the state then built a plan to carry it out. The income limit is 138 percent of the federal poverty level, which is a dollar amount set each year to measure poverty. For 2026, that works out to about $22,025 a year for one person.

Other rules cover people who are 65 or older, have a disability, are pregnant or are parents. People with Medicare can qualify for Medicaid in other ways, but not through Heritage Health Adult. The state also runs a program called 599 CHIP for the unborn children of pregnant women who do not qualify for Medicaid. Our guide on who qualifies for Medicaid explains the groups.

Applying through iServe

You can apply in any month of the year. The state takes applications online at iServe. You can also apply by phone, on paper or at a local DHHS office. Phone lines are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the main number is 855-632-7633.

Callers in Lincoln can use 402-473-7000, and the number in Omaha is 402-595-1178. People who use a text telephone can call 402-471-7256. Our guide to how to apply for Medicaid lists the papers to gather.

Nebraska started its work rule early

Nebraska started its Medicaid work rule on May 1, 2026, which was earlier than the federal deadline of January 1, 2027. The state says it applies to adults ages 19 to 64 in Heritage Health Adult. New applicants must meet it, and current members are checked when they renew. DHHS sent notices to nearly 70,000 expansion members as the rule got closer.

You meet the rule with 80 hours of qualifying activity in a calendar month. Hours of work or community service count, and so do hours in a work program, and you can mix them. Going to school or an apprenticeship at least half time counts as well, and so does earning $580 in a month.

The state lists many exemptions from the rule. Young adults under 26 who left the child welfare system are on the list. So are parents or caretakers of a child 13 or younger, and people who care for someone with a disability. People with certain medical conditions are exempt, along with people in substance use treatment. So are people who are in jail or who left jail within the last 90 days. Pregnant people and those up to 12 months after a birth are exempt too. The state also allows temporary hardships, and it has named 14 counties where a county-based hardship applies.

If DHHS asks you for information, you have 30 days to answer. If you do not, you could be denied or lose coverage. You can reply through iServe, by mail to P.O. Box 2992, Omaha, NE 68103-2992, by fax, by phone or in person. It helps to keep your pay stubs, a letter about volunteer hours or a class schedule in one folder, so you can answer quickly. Our Medicaid work requirement guide explains the national rule.

If your income is above the Medicaid limit

Nebraska uses the federal marketplace at HealthCare.gov. A marketplace plan is private insurance that you buy on your own. A tax credit may lower the monthly price if your income is low enough. For 2027 coverage, open enrollment starts on November 1, 2026. To have coverage start on January 1, you must finish by December 15.

If you lost a job, our guide on what to do after losing insurance explains the special sign-up window.

Health centers and clinics in Nebraska

Federally funded health centers serve everyone and charge by income and family size. The Health Resources and Services Administration has a free Find a Health Center tool, and you enter your zip code.

Ask each center for its sliding fee, which is a price scale based on what you earn. Many centers can also tell you whether to apply for Medicaid before your first visit. If your town is far from a center, ask whether a nurse or doctor visit by video is possible. Our guide on sliding-scale clinics can help you compare prices.

Checking a Nebraska doctor

DHHS runs a License Information System with a public search page. You can use it to confirm that a doctor holds a current license in the state. You can reach the department's main office at 402-471-3121.

Flat-fee doctors and emergencies

Some Nebraska doctors charge a flat monthly fee for primary care and do not bill insurance for those visits. Doctors who work this way run what is called direct primary care. Our directory lists cash-pay doctors you can search. Before you sign up, ask the office to put the monthly fee in writing.

In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Federal law says a hospital with an emergency room must examine you whether or not you have coverage. If a bill comes later, our guide to hospital financial assistance shows how to ask for help. A hospital bill is not a reason to wait on an emergency.