Do I qualify for Medicaid? 2026 eligibility calculator

2026 Medicaid income limits by family size

These are the limits for 2026. In the 41 places that expanded Medicaid, most adults ages 19 to 64 can qualify with income up to 138 percent of the poverty guideline. The poverty guideline is a yearly income line the government publishes for each household size. Alaska and Hawaii have higher guidelines, so their limits are higher too. The tool does this math for your state.

Medicaid limits in the 10 states that did not expand

Parents are measured for a family of three and other adults for one person. The Georgia and Wisconsin figures reflect special state programs. Georgia's program, called Pathways, has work, school or volunteer rules and is approved through December 31, 2026.

How this tool works

The tool makes a few simple comparisons. It checks your income against the Medicaid limit for your state and against the range where Marketplace help applies.

1. We look up the 2026 poverty guideline for your household size. The 48 states and DC share one table. Alaska and Hawaii each have their own higher table.
2. We find the Medicaid limit. In the 41 places that expanded Medicaid, adults ages 19 to 64 can qualify with income up to 138 percent of the poverty guideline. In the 10 states that did not, we use the limit that KFF lists for parents or for other adults. For some groups that limit is zero.
3. If you are pregnant, we use the lowest line any state can use. Federal law sets it at 133 percent of the poverty guideline, and a standard 5 percent allowance makes it 138 percent. A pregnant woman counts as herself plus each baby she expects.
4. We check the Marketplace range. The government helps pay the monthly price of a plan for people with income from 100 percent up to 400 percent of the poverty guideline. Extra help that once reached above 400 percent ended after 2025.
5. If your income is at or below the Medicaid limit, we say you may qualify for Medicaid. If it is above that limit, we look at the Marketplace range. In a state that did not expand Medicaid, you may fall in the gap. This happens when your income is under 100 percent of poverty and you have no Medicaid path.

For a child under 19, we look up the highest Medicaid and CHIP income limit your state uses for children. CHIP is the Children's Health Insurance Program. We multiply that limit by the poverty guideline for your household size. Limits differ by age and by state program, so we only say your child may qualify, and your state makes the decision. For "None of these fit me / I'm not sure," we use the adult answer for a person under 65 with no child at home. We say so at the top of the answer. Then we point you to your state Medicaid office.

Medicaid always uses the 2026 guideline in this tool. For Marketplace help, the guideline depends on the coverage year you pick. For 2026 coverage we use the 2025 guideline, and for 2027 coverage we use the 2026 guideline.

Where the numbers come from

• Poverty guidelines for 2026 and 2025 come from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We checked them on October 14, 2026.
• The list of states that expanded Medicaid comes from the KFF status tracker. KFF last updated it on October 1, 2026, and we checked it on October 14. KFF counts 41 states including DC that have expanded and 10 that have not.
• The Medicaid limits for the 10 states that have not expanded come from two KFF tables, one on parents and one on other adults. Both are dated January 2026. Georgia's regular parent limits come from the Georgia Medicaid policy manual, effective March 1, 2026.
• The children's limits come from the KFF table Medicaid and CHIP income eligibility limits for children, dated January 2026. We read it on October 15, 2026. Across the states it runs from 190 percent of the poverty guideline in Idaho to 405 percent in New York. The federal site InsureKidsNow.gov says Medicaid and CHIP offer free or low-cost health insurance for kids and teens.
• The pregnancy line comes from MACPAC, a group that advises Congress about Medicaid. The rule that a pregnant woman counts as herself plus each baby she expects is in the federal Medicaid rules, 42 CFR 435.603. The 12-month coverage after birth comes from a Georgetown University report dated February 27, 2026.
• The Marketplace range comes from KFF and HealthCare.gov. KFF reports that the extra tax credits ended after 2025, so the original 400 percent limit applies again. HealthCare.gov says savings for 2027 coverage start November 1. HealthCare.gov also explains the extra savings with a Silver plan.

What we could not check

We did not look up the separate Medicaid rules for disability or for age 65 and older. For those groups the tool asks you to check with your state. For pregnancy we use only the lowest line any state can use, and most states go higher. A few states, such as Minnesota, New York and Oregon, also run their own low-cost programs that this tool does not include. If you are not a U.S. citizen, different rules apply. They changed in 2026 and 2027, so the tool adds a reminder to every result except the 65 and older one. KFF measures parent limits for a family of three, so the limit for your exact household may be different. For children, we use the highest limit for any age in the state, and some ages have a lower limit. We also did not include fees that some CHIP programs charge. The official application is always the final word.

Our usual visit counter only learns that the tool was used. It never sees your state, family size or income.

What your result means

"You may qualify for Medicaid in your state" means your income is at or below your state's limit for someone like you. Medicaid is a government health program for people with low incomes, and you apply through your state.

"You very likely qualify for Medicaid while you are pregnant" means your income is under the lowest line any state can use for pregnancy. Your state may go higher, so please apply.

"You may get help paying for a Marketplace plan" means your income is in the help range. In that range, the government lowers the monthly price of a private plan. That help is called a premium tax credit. A premium is the monthly price you pay for a plan.

"Your child may qualify for Medicaid or CHIP" means your income is at or below the highest limit your state uses for children. Children can often qualify at higher incomes than adults, and a child can qualify even when a parent cannot.

"You may fall in the Medicaid coverage gap" means your income is too high for your state's Medicaid but too low for Marketplace help. Our guide to the Medicaid gap explains what to do next.

"Your income looks above the help levels" means Marketplace help likely does not apply. You can still buy a plan at full price, and other low-cost options may still fit.

The Georgia answer about Pathways means Georgia covers most adults only through a program with work, school or volunteer rules. Pathways asks for 80 hours a month of those activities.

The answer for ages 65 and older points you to Medicare Savings Programs and your state, because the Medicaid rules for older adults are different.

The answer "check with your state" appears when you have a disability. That group has its own Medicaid rules that this tool does not calculate.

What if I have an emergency?

If you think you are having an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away. Emergencies include chest pain, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding and signs of a stroke.

Federal law requires an emergency room to examine and stabilize you whether or not you have insurance (read about the law). This tool is general education and not medical, legal or tax advice.