Mississippi Medicaid Income Limits (2026)

Mississippi Medicaid is administered by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) and remains one of the most restricted Medicaid programs in the United States. Because Mississippi has not adopted the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion, the program covers a narrow set of populations: parents and caretaker relatives of dependent children at income levels near 22% of the Federal Poverty Level, pregnant women up to 194% FPL, children under 19 in age-based income bands (133% FPL for ages 6-19 through 194% FPL for infants), and aged, blind, and disabled adults under separate SSI-linked rules. The 2026 Federal Poverty Level anchor is $15,960 for one person and $32,856 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states, per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ASPE guidelines published at aspe.hhs.gov.

Mississippi Medicaid's non-expansion status creates a significant coverage gap. Adults in Mississippi who earn above the strict parent-threshold (roughly 22% FPL) but below 100% FPL cannot qualify for Mississippi Medicaid and also cannot receive ACA marketplace premium tax credits, because those credits start at 100% FPL. The Kaiser Family Foundation (kff.org) estimates that approximately 300,000 Mississippians fall into this gap as of 2026. Multiple bills to expand Mississippi Medicaid were filed in the 2026 legislative session, but none advanced out of committee, in part because the federal financial incentives for newly-expanding states were reduced in federal legislation. Mississippi's expansion status is confirmed in the KFF state Medicaid expansion tracker at kff.org.

Mississippi Medicaid uses MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) rules for parent, child, and pregnancy categories, meaning income is calculated the same way as on a federal tax return with a few adjustments. The state applies a 5% FPL disregard when determining eligibility for children and pregnant women, which effectively raises the stated threshold by 5 percentage points. The household size table below reflects the income limits effective March 1, 2026, as published by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid at medicaid.ms.gov. For children over the Medicaid threshold, MississippiCAN CHIP covers uninsured children up to 209% FPL. If your household income exceeds the Mississippi Medicaid limit but falls below 400% FPL, ACA marketplace plans available through healthcare.gov may offer subsidized coverage.

Mississippi Medicaid (Division of Medicaid) income limits by household size (2026)

The 2026 Mississippi Medicaid income guidelines below are based on income limits effective March 1, 2026, as published by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid. Adult column = parent/caretaker limit at approximately 22% FPL (Mississippi did not expand Medicaid). Children column = ages 6-19 at 133% FPL plus 5% disregard, effectively 138% FPL. Pregnancy column = 194% FPL plus 5% disregard (effectively ~199% FPL) for Mississippi Medicaid for Pregnant Women. Add roughly $78/month per additional household member for the adult column, and approximately $630/month per additional member for the children and pregnancy columns.

Mississippi Medicaid (Division of Medicaid) eligibility requirements (non-income)

Beyond income, Mississippi Medicaid applicants must satisfy the following non-income requirements. The Mississippi Division of Medicaid evaluates these criteria alongside income when processing MAGI and ABD applications. Meeting the income threshold does not guarantee eligibility if non-income criteria are not met.

• Mississippi residency: the applicant must currently live in Mississippi and intend to remain in the state. Temporary visitors or individuals residing in another state do not qualify. There is no minimum length-of-residency requirement, but an applicant must be a current resident.
• U.S. citizenship or qualifying immigration status: U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (generally after the federal 5-year bar), refugees, and asylees may qualify. Undocumented adults do not qualify for full Mississippi Medicaid coverage but may receive emergency Medicaid for acute life-threatening conditions.
• Social Security Number: applicants must provide a Social Security Number or acceptable documentation for each household member applying for coverage. Individuals applying only for emergency Medicaid or non-citizen categories may have different requirements.
• Household composition: for MAGI categories (parents, children, pregnant women), the household is defined using federal tax-filing rules. Parents must have dependent children under 18 (or up to 19 if still in school) living in the home. The definition determines both who is counted in the household and whose income is counted.
• Asset test: Mississippi Medicaid does NOT apply an asset test to MAGI categories (parents, children, pregnant women). Asset tests DO apply to aged/blind/disabled (ABD) categories. For community ABD Medicaid, countable assets are generally capped at $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a married couple, with the primary home, one vehicle, and certain burial accounts excluded from the count. The higher $4,000 asset limit applies only to nursing home and HCBS waiver programs, not to standard community ABD Medicaid.
• Coverage category restriction: Mississippi Medicaid is not available to able-bodied adults without dependent children, regardless of income. This category does not qualify under Mississippi's non-expansion rules. Adults must be a parent or caretaker relative of a dependent child, pregnant, aged 65 or older, blind, or have a qualifying disability to be considered for Mississippi Medicaid.
• Other coverage: Mississippi Medicaid coordinates as the payer of last resort. Applicants are not required to be uninsured, but having employer-sponsored insurance may affect eligibility for certain categories. Report any existing health coverage on the application.

What income counts for Mississippi Medicaid (Division of Medicaid)

Mississippi Medicaid uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) rules for parents, children, and pregnant women. Under MAGI, income is calculated similarly to the way it appears on a federal income tax return, using projected annual income rather than a snapshot of current monthly income. The Mississippi Division of Medicaid applies a 5% FPL disregard when determining eligibility for children and pregnant women, effectively raising the applicable threshold. Aged, blind, and disabled (ABD) Medicaid uses different SSI countable-income rules. The lists below apply to the MAGI categories that cover the majority of Mississippi Medicaid applications.

Income sources included

• Wages, salaries, tips, and overtime (gross amount before payroll deductions and taxes)
• Net self-employment earnings (1099 income after allowable business expenses, including gig and freelance work)
• Social Security retirement and disability benefits (SSDI): note that SSI is excluded; only SSDI and Social Security retirement count under MAGI
• Unemployment compensation received during the year
• Pensions, annuities, and taxable distributions from retirement accounts (401k, IRA)
• Alimony received under divorce decrees finalized before January 1, 2019 (post-2018 alimony is not counted under TCJA rules)
• Rental income (net of allowable deductions) and investment income (interest, dividends, capital gains)
• Foreign earned income (income excluded from federal taxes for foreign-work purposes still counts for MAGI Medicaid income calculations)

Income sources excluded

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments: SSI is not counted as MAGI income (distinct from SSDI, which is counted)
• Child support received: not counted as income under MAGI rules for Mississippi Medicaid
• Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation, pension benefits, and GI Bill education payments
• Federal tax refunds and refundable credits (Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit refund portions)
• SNAP (food stamps) and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) cash assistance
• Workers' compensation payments for job-related illness or injury
• Gifts, loans, and one-time inheritances (not recurring income under MAGI; note these may count as resources in SSI-linked ABD Medicaid)

How to apply for Mississippi Medicaid (Division of Medicaid) in Mississippi

Mississippi Medicaid applications are accepted by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) through the state's online portal at access.ms.gov (the Mississippi Common Web Portal), by mail, by fax, by phone, or in person at one of 30 regional DOM offices across the state. The MAGI application covers children, pregnant women, parents, and caretakers. A separate ABD application is available for aged, blind, and disabled applicants. A Family Planning application is available for those seeking family planning services only.

1. 1. Gather your documents before starting the application: Social Security Numbers (or document numbers for legal immigrants) for each applicant, birth dates for all household members, recent pay stubs or income records for the past 30 days, proof of Mississippi residency, and information on any existing health insurance policies.
2. 2. Choose your application method: online at access.ms.gov (the fastest option, available 24/7), by calling the DOM toll-free line at 1-800-421-2408, by fax to 601-576-4164, by mail to P.O. Box 2222, Jackson, MS 39225, or in person at a DOM regional office.
3. 3. Select the correct application form: MAGI Application for children, pregnant women, parents, or other low-income adults; ABD Application if applying due to age (65+), blindness, or disability; or Family Planning Application if seeking only family planning services. Spanish versions of all forms are available.
4. 4. Complete the application: report all household members, all income sources for the past 30 days, any existing insurance coverage, and immigration or citizenship status for each applicant. Accuracy is critical, because inaccurate income reporting is a leading cause of denial.
5. 5. Submit the application and save your confirmation number. If you applied online through access.ms.gov, you will receive a case number you can use to check the status of your application on the portal.
6. 6. Respond to any DOM requests for additional documentation within the timeframe stated on the notice. Missing documentation is one of the most common reasons Mississippi Medicaid applications are delayed or denied. You can upload documents directly through access.ms.gov.
7. 7. Wait for the eligibility determination notice. Standard MAGI applications are processed within 45 days. Disability-related ABD applications may take up to 90 days because they require a medical determination. Pregnancy applications receive priority processing.

Official portal: access.ms.gov

Documents needed

• Social Security Number (or document number for legal immigrants) for each household member applying for coverage
• Proof of Mississippi residency (utility bill, lease agreement, or official mail showing your current Mississippi address)
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or qualifying immigration status (birth certificate, U.S. passport, naturalization certificate, or permanent-resident card)
• Recent income documentation: last 30 days of pay stubs for wage earners; most recent federal tax return or profit-and-loss statement for self-employed applicants; award letters for Social Security, pension, or other benefit income
• Health insurance policy information for any existing coverage (policy number, insurance company name, and effective dates)
• Birth dates for all household members (birth certificates recommended for children to prove age and Mississippi parentage)

Processing timeline: Standard Mississippi Medicaid MAGI applications are processed within 45 days of submission, per DOM policy. Pregnancy applications receive priority and are typically decided faster. Disability-related ABD applications can take up to 90 days because they require a medical determination. You can check your application status online at access.ms.gov or by calling the DOM at 1-800-421-2408.

Common reasons applications get denied

• Income above the population-specific threshold: the most common reason. Parents exceeding the roughly 22% FPL limit, children's family income above 133% FPL (ages 6-19) or 194% FPL (infants and pregnant women), or ABD applicants over the income limit.
• Adult applicant without a qualifying dependent child, not pregnant, not aged or disabled: Mississippi does not cover childless able-bodied adults under Medicaid (the non-expansion gap). This affects the approximately 300,000 Mississippians in the ACA coverage gap.
• Failure to provide required documentation within the notice deadline, including income verification, proof of residency, or citizenship/immigration documents.
• Exceeding the asset limit for ABD (aged, blind, or disabled) Medicaid: countable assets above $2,000 for an individual (or $3,000 for a married couple) disqualify applicants from community ABD Medicaid. The $4,000 limit applies to nursing home and HCBS waiver programs only.
• Federal 5-year bar for lawful permanent residents: recently-arrived green card holders are generally barred from Medicaid for 5 years from the date they obtained LPR status, with exceptions for refugees, asylees, and certain other immigrant categories.

If your child's family income is above the Mississippi Medicaid limit

MississippiCAN CHIP covers uninsured children under age 19 in households earning between 194% and 209% FPL. For a family of four in 2026, that means family income up to about $5,886 per month (approximately $70,632 per year) qualifies for CHIP. Children who qualify for Medicaid are not eligible for CHIP, so CHIP serves as a bridge for families whose income falls between the Medicaid limit and 209% FPL. CHIP is also administered by the Mississippi Division of Medicaid and applications are accepted at the same portal, access.ms.gov. Income limits are effective March 1, 2026. Check the national Medicaid income limits page for how Mississippi CHIP compares to other states.

Compare Medicaid and CHIP income limits across all 50 states

If you are 65 or older with limited income: Medicare Savings Programs

Mississippi Medicaid runs three Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) that help Medicare beneficiaries pay for Medicare premiums, deductibles, and cost-sharing. The three tiers are: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB, at 100% FPL or below) covers Part A and Part B premiums plus cost-sharing; Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB, 100-120% FPL) covers Part B premium only; and Qualifying Individual (QI, 120-135% FPL) covers Part B premium only, funded separately. Dual-eligible Mississippi residents who qualify for both Medicare and full Medicaid receive the broadest assistance, including long-term care coverage. Apply for Mississippi MSPs through the same access.ms.gov portal or by calling the Division of Medicaid at 1-800-421-2408. Read the full Medicare eligibility guide to understand how Medicare and Medicaid interact for dual-eligible beneficiaries.

Read the Medicare eligibility guide for dual-eligible beneficiaries

Frequently Asked Questions