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Medicaid is an entitlement, meaning individuals who meet eligibility requirements are guaranteed coverage. The federal government sets minimum eligibility standards, but states may expand coverage beyond these minimum requirements. Federal minimum eligibility levels for children and pregnant women are set at 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL) ($35,630 for a family of 3 in 2024); however, median eligibility levels for these groups were 255% FPL for children and 207% FPL for pregnant women as of January 2023. As a result of the ACA, the median coverage level for parents and adults without dependent children is 138% FPL, but for states that have not adopted the ACA expansion, the median eligibility for parents was 38% FPL. In non-expansion states, adults without dependent coverage are not eligible for Medicaid coverage and those with incomes below poverty fall into the coverage gap.
Medicaid coverage is also available to certain individuals who qualify on the basis of being age 65 and older or having a disability. These coverage categories are referred to as “non-MAGI” pathways because they do not use the Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) financial methodology that applies to pathways for pregnant people, parents, and children with low incomes. In addition to considering advanced age, disability status, and income, many non-MAGI pathways also have asset limits. Medicaid generally covers individuals who qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), but nearly all other non-MAGI pathways are optional, resulting in substantial state variation. Each group has different rules about income and assets, making eligibility complex (Figure 6).
Medicaid coverage is limited for immigrants, and except for emergency services, Medicaid coverage is not available for undocumented immigrants. A number of states, however, use state funds to provide coverage to all or some undocumented immigrants.
While Medicaid covers 1 in 5 people living in the United States, Medicaid is a particularly significant source of coverage for certain populations. In 2022, Medicaid covered 4 in 10 children, 8 in 10 children in poverty, 1 in 6 adults, and 6 in 10 nonelderly adults in poverty. Relative to White children and adults, Medicaid covers a higher share of Black, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN) children and adults. Medicaid covers 44% of nonelderly, noninstitutionalized adults with disabilities, who are defined as having one or more difficulty related to hearing, vision, cognition, ambulation, self-care, or independent living (Figure 7).
Medicaid provides coverage for a number of special populations. For example, Medicaid covers 41% of all births in the United States, nearly half of children with special health care needs, 5 in 8 nursing home residents, 23% of non-elderly adults with any mental illness, and 40% of non-elderly adults with HIV. Medicaid pays Medicare premiums and often provides wraparound coverage for services not covered by Medicare (like most long-term services and supports) for nearly 1 in 5 Medicare beneficiaries (13 million). Medicaid is a key source of coverage for individuals experiencing homelessness and those transitioning out of carceral settings, particularly in states that have adopted the Medicaid expansion.
Among the non-elderly covered by Medicaid, nearly half are children under age 19, 6 in 10 are people of color, 57% are female, and three-quarters are in a family with a full- or part-time worker. Even though most adult Medicaid enrollees are working, many do not have an offer of employer-sponsored coverage, or it is not available.
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