How do I know if I qualify for Medicaid?

The fast check takes two minutes. HealthCare.gov has a tool where you enter your household size and state, and it tells you whether you might qualify for Medicaid, CHIP, or savings on a marketplace plan, because the rules are state-specific: Medicaid and CHIP provide free or low-cost health coverage to eligible low-income adults, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities, but each state sets its own income limits and categories. In states that expanded Medicaid, most adults qualify on income alone at roughly up to 138% of the federal poverty level; in states that did not expand, adults without children can fall into a gap where they earn too much for Medicaid and too little for marketplace savings, which is exactly why the check matters. HealthCare.gov's advice is to apply even if you do not qualify based on income, because you might qualify for your state's program on other grounds, like pregnancy, disability, or family situation, and applying is the only way to get a definitive answer. Two more useful facts: Medicaid and CHIP accept applications any time of year, with no open enrollment window, and children often qualify through CHIP at higher family incomes than the adults in the same household. If income fluctuates, report changes, because eligibility follows your current situation.