Medicaid

Who is Eligible for Medicaid?

Eligibility is based on family income and other financial resources such as savings, with each state deciding its own qualifying levels. State Medicaid programs cover both adults and children, thus a whole family may apply for coverage. It is possible, though, that a child may be covered under Medicaid while his or her parents are not. Family income levels to qualify for Medicaid are lower than those necessary to qualify for S-CHIP (see the S-CHIP section in this Web site for further information.) That means that if you can't qualify your child under Medicaid because your income is too high, you still may be able to get health services for your child under S-CHIP. Also, persons covered by other insurance may still apply for Medicaid.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted immigrants. Children may be eligible for coverage if they are U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted immigrants, even if their parents are not.

Contact your state for more information Medicaid eligibility in your state. For more information, you also can contact the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. At its Web site, http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/whoiseligible.asp, you can find the name of your state in a drop-down menu and get specific information.