Quick answer
In the 40 states plus DC that expanded Medicaid, most adults qualify with income up to 138% of the poverty level: $22,025 a year for one person or $45,540 for a family of four. In the 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, adults without children often don’t qualify no matter how little they earn, though children and pregnant women qualify at much higher limits in every state.
Key takeaways
- 40 states plus DC have expanded Medicaid to adults with incomes up to 138% of the poverty level, which is $22,025 a year for one person or $45,540 for a family of four.
- The 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming) mostly don’t cover adults without dependent children, regardless of income.
- Every state covers children and pregnant women at income limits well above what adults get, often 200% of the poverty level or higher.
- Medicaid eligibility is based on your current monthly income, and you can apply any time. There’s no open enrollment period.
- Starting January 1, 2027, most expansion states will require adults to show 80 hours a month of work, school or volunteering to keep their coverage.
On this page
Expansion vs. non-expansion states
Medicaid expansion, part of the original ACA, lets states cover adults up to 138% of the poverty level regardless of whether they have children. 40 states plus DC have adopted it. The 10 that haven’t (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming) set their own, usually much lower, income limits for parents and typically cover adults without children only through a separate state program, if at all. Georgia’s Pathways program and Wisconsin’s BadgerCare are the two exceptions that cover childless adults up to the poverty level without full expansion. For background on the coverage gap this creates, see health insurance for low-income families.
138% of the poverty level, in dollars
| Household size | 138% of poverty level, yearly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $22,025 | $1,835 |
| 2 | $29,863 | $2,489 |
| 3 | $37,702 | $3,142 |
| 4 | $45,540 | $3,795 |
Medicaid income limits by state
Adult limits below are the standard childless-adult limit; where a non-expansion state covers parents at a higher percentage, that figure is noted too. Children’s and pregnancy limits combine Medicaid and CHIP and are the highest limit available in that state as of January 2026.
| State | Adults (% of poverty level) | Children up to | Pregnancy up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 0% (parents to 18%) | 317% | 146% |
| Alaska | 138% | 208% | 230% |
| Arizona | 138% | 230% | 161% |
| Arkansas | 138% | 216% | 214% |
| California | 138% | 266% | 213% |
| Colorado | 138% | 265% | 195%/260% |
| Connecticut | 138% | 323% | 263% |
| Delaware | 138% | 217% | 217% |
| District of Columbia | 138% | 324% | 324% |
| Florida | 0% (parents to 26%) | 215% | 196% |
| Georgia | 100% (Pathways) | 252% | 225% |
| Hawaii | 138% | 313% | 196% |
| Idaho | 138% | 190% | 138% |
| Illinois | 138% | 318% | 213% |
| Indiana | 138% | 255% | 213% |
| Iowa | 138% | 307% | 220% |
| Kansas | 0% (parents to 38%) | 255% | 171% |
| Kentucky | 138% | 218% | 195%/218% |
| Louisiana | 138% | 255% | 138% |
| Maine | 138% | 305% | 214% |
| Maryland | 138% | 322% | 264% |
| Massachusetts | 138% | 305% | 205% |
| Michigan | 138% | 217% | 200% |
| Minnesota | 138% | 288% | 283% |
| Mississippi | 0% (parents to 21%) | 214% | 199% |
| Missouri | 138% | 305% | 196%/305% |
| Montana | 138% | 266% | 162% |
| Nebraska | 138% | 218% | 199% |
| Nevada | 138% | 205% | 205% |
| New Hampshire | 138% | 323% | 201% |
| New Jersey | 138% | 355% | 194%/205% |
| New Mexico | 138% | 305% | 255% |
| New York | 138% | 405% | 223% |
| North Carolina | 138% | 216% | 201% |
| North Dakota | 138% | 205% | 175% |
| Ohio | 138% | 211% | 205% |
| Oklahoma | 138% | 210% | 210% |
| Oregon | 138% | 305% | 190% |
| Pennsylvania | 138% | 319% | 220% |
| Rhode Island | 138% | 266% | 190%/258% |
| South Carolina | 0% (parents to 67%) | 213% | 199% |
| South Dakota | 138% | 209% | 138% |
| Tennessee | 0% (parents to 105%) | 255% | 255% |
| Texas | 0% (parents to 15%) | 206% | 203% |
| Utah | 138% | 205% | 144% |
| Vermont | 138% | 317% | 213% |
| Virginia | 138% | 205% | 143%/205% |
| Washington | 138% | 317% | 215% |
| West Virginia | 138% | 305% | 185%/305% |
| Wisconsin | 100% (BadgerCare) | 306% | 306% |
| Wyoming | 0% (parents to 43%) | 205% | 159% |
DC’s adult limit dropped for 2026: DC’s old waiver covered parents and childless adults up to 215% of the poverty level, but that waiver wasn’t renewed, and the limit fell to the standard 138% on January 1, 2026. DC created a new Basic Health Program, the Healthy DC Plan, to cover the 138-200% gap that opened up instead, so residents in that income range still have a coverage option, just not through Medicaid itself.
How Medicaid decides if you qualify
Medicaid looks at your current monthly income, not an annual estimate the way Marketplace subsidies do, so a recent job loss or a new job can change your eligibility right away. There’s no yearly open enrollment window. You can apply for Medicaid or CHIP any time, and a state must decide within 45 days (90 days if the application involves a disability determination). See how long it takes to get health insurance after applying.
What’s changing for 2027
Starting January 1, 2027, most expansion states must require non-pregnant adults 19-64 in the expansion group to show 80 hours a month of work, school or an equivalent activity, unless they qualify for an exemption such as caring for a young child or being medically frail. Coverage renewals for expansion adults also move to every 6 months for redeterminations scheduled on or after that date. See Medicaid work requirements for the full exemption list and how states plan to check compliance.
Coverage for children and pregnant women
Every state sets children’s and pregnant women’s Medicaid and CHIP limits well above the adult limit, and the numbers above show what’s available combining both programs. See health insurance for children and maternity coverage explained for what’s covered once you qualify.
Check what other coverage options are available at your income: compare quotes by ZIP code.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the Medicaid income limit for a single adult in 2026?
In the 40 expansion states plus DC, it’s 138% of the poverty level, or $22,025 a year. In most of the 10 non-expansion states, adults without children don’t qualify at all, regardless of income.
Can I apply for Medicaid any time, or only during open enrollment?
Any time. Medicaid and CHIP have no open enrollment period, and a state has 45 days to decide your application (90 days if disability is involved).
Will I have to prove I’m working to keep Medicaid in 2027?
In most expansion states, yes, starting January 1, 2027, unless you qualify for an exemption. Some states are starting earlier than others.
What happened to DC’s Medicaid income limit?
It dropped from 215% of the poverty level to the standard 138% on January 1, 2026, after DC’s waiver wasn’t renewed. DC’s new Healthy DC Plan now covers the 138-200% gap instead.
Sources
- KFF: Medicaid income eligibility limits for other adults
- KFF: Medicaid income eligibility limits for parents
- KFF: Medicaid and CHIP income eligibility limits for children
- KFF: Medicaid and CHIP income eligibility limits for pregnant women
- KFF: Status of state Medicaid expansion decisions
- ACA Signups: DC’s Medicaid change from 215% to the standard FPL
This article is general information, not legal or medical advice. Income limits shown are current as of January 2026; check with your state Medicaid agency for the exact rules where you live. Last reviewed September 2026.