What is the Medicaid income limit in each state?
KFF’s January 2026 survey of state Medicaid programs gives each state’s limits as a share of the federal poverty line. “Adults” means people 19 to 64 who aren’t pregnant, disabled or 65 and older. “Children” is the highest limit for children through Medicaid or CHIP.
Alabama to Missouri
| State | Adults | Children |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Parents 18%, others none | 317% |
| Alaska | 138% | 208% |
| Arizona | 138% | 230% |
| Arkansas | 138% | 216% |
| California | 138% | 266% |
| Colorado | 138% | 265% |
| Connecticut | 138% | 323% |
| Delaware | 138% | 217% |
| District of Columbia | 138% | 324% |
| Florida | Parents 26%, others none | 215% |
| Georgia | Parents 24%, others none; 100% through Pathways | 252% |
| Hawaii | 138% | 313% |
| Idaho | 138% | 190% |
| Illinois | 138% | 318% |
| Indiana | 138% | 255% |
| Iowa | 138% | 307% |
| Kansas | Parents 38%, others none | 255% |
| Kentucky | 138% | 218% |
| Louisiana | 138% | 255% |
| Maine | 138% | 305% |
| Maryland | 138% | 322% |
| Massachusetts | 138% | 305% |
| Michigan | 138% | 217% |
| Minnesota | 138% | 288% |
| Mississippi | Parents 21%, others none | 214% |
| Missouri | 138% | 305% |
Montana to Wyoming
| State | Adults | Children |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | 138% | 266% |
| Nebraska | 138% | 218% |
| Nevada | 138% | 205% |
| New Hampshire | 138% | 323% |
| New Jersey | 138% | 355% |
| New Mexico | 138% | 305% |
| New York | 138% | 405% |
| North Carolina | 138% | 216% |
| North Dakota | 138% | 205% |
| Ohio | 138% | 211% |
| Oklahoma | 138% | 210% |
| Oregon | 138% | 305% |
| Pennsylvania | 138% | 319% |
| Rhode Island | 138% | 266% |
| South Carolina | Parents 67%, others none | 213% |
| South Dakota | 138% | 209% |
| Tennessee | Parents 105%, others none | 255% |
| Texas | Parents 15%, others none | 206% |
| Utah | 138% | 205% |
| Vermont | 138% | 317% |
| Virginia | 138% | 205% |
| Washington | 138% | 317% |
| West Virginia | 138% | 305% |
| Wisconsin | 100% | 306% |
| Wyoming | Parents 43%, others none | 205% |
The percentages include the 5% of income that Medicaid disregards, which is why the expansion limit of 133% reads as 138%. In expansion states, parents qualify up to 138% through the adult group even where the state’s separate limit for parents is lower. Georgia Pathways covers adults up to 100% who show 80 hours a month of work, school or other activities. Its federal approval ends Dec. 31, 2026 unless CMS renews it.
What is 138% of the poverty line in dollars?
At the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines, 138% of the poverty line in the 48 states and DC is:
| Household size | 138% of the poverty line, per year |
|---|---|
| 1 | $22,025 |
| 2 | $29,863 |
| 3 | $37,702 |
| 4 | $45,540 |
The figures are rounded to the nearest dollar. Alaska and Hawaii have higher guidelines, and larger households are in the 2027 federal poverty level chart. Medicaid uses the newest guidelines, so these amounts rise once HHS publishes the 2027 ones.
Which states have a Medicaid coverage gap?
Eight states have neither Medicaid expansion nor a program that covers all low-income adults: Alabama, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming. In those states, an adult without children can’t get Medicaid at any income. Parents qualify only below the state’s parent limit, from 15% of the poverty line in Texas to 105% in Tennessee.
The tax credit starts at 100% of the poverty line, so adults below it in those eight states get no help with a Marketplace plan either. Above 100%, the same adults can get a tax credit and, up to 250%, silver plans with extra savings.
Wisconsin didn’t expand Medicaid, but the state covers adults up to 100% of the poverty line through BadgerCare, so Wisconsin has no gap. What adults in the gap can still do is in the Medicaid coverage gap. Georgia covers adults to 100% only through Pathways, which has a work requirement and federal approval through Dec. 31, 2026.
Which states have Medicaid work requirements in 2027?
Federal law (P.L. 119-21, section 71119) requires adults covered by Medicaid expansion to show 80 hours a month of work, school, job training or community service, or monthly earnings of at least $580, starting Jan. 1, 2027. Some adults are exempt, including pregnant women and parents of children 13 or younger. Some states started early:
| State | Work requirement starts |
|---|---|
| Georgia | Already in effect through Pathways, approved through Dec. 31, 2026 |
| Nebraska | May 1, 2026 |
| Montana | July 1, 2026, with denials from Oct. 1, 2026 |
| Arkansas | Checks from July 1, 2026, penalties from Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Iowa | Dec. 1, 2026 for applicants, and at renewals from February 2027 |
| Wisconsin | Jan. 1, 2027 for BadgerCare adults without children |
| Other expansion states | Jan. 1, 2027 |
Someone denied Medicaid only for missing the work requirement can’t get a Marketplace tax credit either, under the same law. Several governors have asked HHS to delay the start, and a state may get a good-faith exemption through 2028. Who’s exempt, how to report hours and when the tax credit returns are in Medicaid work requirements in 2027.
How do you find out if you qualify?
- Apply through your state Medicaid agency or HealthCare.gov. The HealthCare.gov application checks Medicaid and CHIP first.
- Apply any time of year. Medicaid has no open enrollment period.
- If Medicaid turns you down, enroll in a Marketplace plan during 2027 open enrollment, Nov. 1, 2026 to Jan. 15, 2027.
Coverage Decider’s calculator checks your state’s Medicaid and CHIP limits for each person in your household before it looks at any plan. How Coverage Decider calculates explains the rules it uses.