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Medicaid screening guide
Learn what your state needs to check for health coverage. This guide does not give you a personal income cutoff or decide if you qualify.
Why do the rules depend on your state?
States run Medicaid within federal rules. The path for a child may differ from the path for a parent, another adult, or a person who needs long-term care. Your state and income alone do not tell the full story.
Choosing a state here shows next steps, not an income test. Use the official Medicaid state contacts to reach the office that can check your case.
What facts can change the answer?
- Your age and whether you are pregnant.
- Who is in your family and how you file taxes.
- Income from work and other sources.
- A disability, Medicare coverage, or a need for long-term care.
- Savings and other resources, if your coverage path has that test.
Tell the office about everyone who needs coverage. A parent and child may get different answers. Ask about CHIP for a child, too. Do not assume that one adult income rule applies to the whole family.
What should you do next?
Read who may qualify for Medicaid, then use your state's official application. You can apply throughout the year. Keep copies of what you send and ask how to check the status. See USA.gov's Medicaid and CHIP guide for more routes.
The Benefits Estimator can point you to other aid and offer limited 2026 tax-credit estimates. It does not calculate Medicaid eligibility or the value of coverage.
What this page can tell you
This is a screening guide, not a decision or payment estimate. Choosing a state shows what to check next. It does not test your full case.
Only your state's Medicaid agency can decide if you qualify and what help you can get. They need facts this page does not collect.
There is no application fee for Medicaid. Use the official route. No one can promise approval.
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