Medicaid Eligibility

The Affordable Care Act (also known as “Obamacare”) creates a national minimum eligibility standard of 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL), but some states choose not to adopt the Medicaid expansion under the ACA.

Listed below are the Medicaid and CHIP eligibility levels as a percentage of federal poverty level (FPL) in each state, including District of Columbia — as of January 2022.

StateChildCHIPPregnantParentsAdults
Alabama146%317%146%18%0%
Florida138%215%196%30%0%
Georgia138%252%225%33%0%
Kansas138%232%171%38%0%
Mississippi138%214%194%25%0%
North Carolina138%216%201%39%0%
South Carolina213%199%67%0%
South Dakota187%209%138%46%0%
Tennessee138%255%200%88%0%
Texas138%206%203%16%0%
Wisconsin133%306%306%100%100%
Wyoming138%205%159%50%0%

Among the 12 states not expanding Medicaid coverage, the median eligibility level for parents is just 44% FPL, with only two (2) states — Tennessee and Wisconsin, covering parents with incomes at or near poverty.

Wisconsin is the only non-expansion state that provides Medicaid coverage to some adults without dependent children. Missouri is expected to expand Medicaid in the near future, but not yet implemented.

StateChildCHIPPregnant Parents Adults
Alaska208%205%138%138%
Arizona138%205%161%138%138%
Arkansas147%216%214%138%138%
California133%266%213%138%138%
Colorado147%265%200%138%138%
Connecticut201%323%263%160%138%
Delaware138%217%217%138%138%
District of Columbia324%324%221%215%
Hawaii313%196%138%138%
Idaho138%190%138%138%138%
Illinois147%318%213%138%138%
Indiana163%255%213%138%138%
Iowa172%307%380%138%138%
Kentucky133%218%200%138%138%
Louisiana142%255%138%138%138%
Maine162%213%214%138%138%
Maryland322%264%138%138%
Massachusetts155%305%205%138%138%
Michigan217%200%138%138%
Minnesota280%283%138%138%
Missouri148%305%199%138%138%
Montana133%266%162%138%138%
Nebraska218%199%138%138%
Nevada138%205%165%138%138%
New Hampshire323%201%138%138%
New Jersey147%355%199%138%138%
New Mexico245%255%138%138%
New York154%405%223%138%138%
North Dakota133%175%162%138%138%
Ohio211%205%138%138%
Oklahoma210%138%138%138%
Oregon138%305%190%138%138%
Pennsylvania138%319%220%138%138%
Rhode Island266%195%138%138%
Utah138%205%144%138%138%
Vermont317%213%138%138%
Virginia148%205%148%138%138%
Washington215%317%198%138%138%
West Virginia138%305%190%138%138%

* Eligibility levels for parents are presented as a percentage of the 2023 FPL for a family of three, which is $24,860.