Determining Your Medicaid Eligibility

Medicaid is a form of health insurance that is intended to help people who can't afford a comprehensive medical plan. Medicaid provides health benefits for those in need through both state and federal funding.

The program pays medical bills through this funding and local taxation. Typically the benefits are offered to low-income individuals and family, however, a low income is not the sole variable associated with medicaid eligibility. There are a number of impoverished individuals and families who not meet eligibility for medicaid because they fail to be categorized into one of the essential designated eligibility groups.

All medicaid programs are essentially established through state governments; each state has its own unique set of restrictions and rules associated with medicaid eligibility. General speaking, the following groups of people possess an eligibility for medicaid:

Pregnant women and children under 6 years with afamily income 133% below the federal poverty level--less than $19,378

Children ages 6 to 19 will qualify if their family income is at or below the federal povertylevel.

Individuals who receive Supplemental Security Income possess eligibility for medicaid.

Teenagers up to age 21 who are living on their own

People over 65 years of age who are blind or disabled

The above list of circumstances are not the sole eligibility requirements for medicaid. As stated before medicaid eligibility is instituted by state governments, therefore the regulations and variables associated with the obtainment of benefits will differentiate based on location.

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