Delaware Medicaid income limits

Last verified: June 2026

Delaware Medicaid income limits by coverage group (2026)

Delaware's 2026 countable income table, published by DMMA, shows exact monthly dollar limits for each coverage category. The table below reflects those official figures. Delaware does not use an asset test for standard MAGI-based Medicaid — only income is assessed for adults, children, and pregnant women.

Source: DMMA 2026 Countable Income Limits for Federal Poverty Level Related Medical Assistance Programs (dhss.delaware.gov/dmma/fpl.html, updated February 2026). The adult expansion figure reflects DMMA's 142% FPL table column, which equals approximately $1,889/mo for household of 1 — inclusive of the MAGI 5% income disregard bringing the effective threshold above 133% FPL.

No asset test for standard Delaware Medicaid

Per DMMA: "You can have a car, bank account, and a home and still qualify for Medicaid. DMMA does not look at any of your resources when determining your eligibility for Medicaid." This is a direct statement from DMMA's official eligibility page. Delaware eliminated the asset test for standard Medicaid consistent with ACA requirements.

The nursing facility program is different. LTC Medicaid requires gross monthly income to fall below 250% of the SSI income standard ($2,485/month for an individual in 2026). If income exceeds this limit, the applicant must establish a Miller Trust (Qualified Income Trust) to qualify. The asset limit for nursing facility Medicaid is $2,000 for a single applicant. Federal spousal impoverishment rules apply.

Delaware Healthy Children Program: CHIP at 212% FPL

The Delaware Healthy Children Program (DHCP) is Delaware's CHIP program, covering children up to age 19 at or below 212% FPL. Per the 2026 DMMA income table, the monthly limit is $2,820 for a household of 1 and $5,830 for a household of 4.

Children who qualify for DHCP receive the same comprehensive coverage as Medicaid-enrolled children through the Diamond State Health Plan MCOs. Apply through ASSIST at assist.dhss.delaware.gov — the same application screens for both Delaware Medicaid and DHCP.

How Medicaid income limits work

Medicaid eligibility is tied to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), a measure the Department of Health and Human Services updates each January. States set their income limits as a percentage of FPL — so when FPL increases, the dollar thresholds for Medicaid also shift.

The Affordable Care Act established a standard income methodology called Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) for most Medicaid applicants. Under MAGI, the agency counts wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security benefits, and most other taxable income. Assets — a savings account, vehicle, home — are not counted for MAGI-based programs. That changed with the ACA and applies in all states.

States that expanded Medicaid under the ACA cover most adults at or below 138% FPL. In non-expansion states, income limits for adults without dependent children are far lower — sometimes as low as a few hundred dollars per month — or eligibility for that category simply doesn't exist.

What counts as income under MAGI

MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) is the income standard for most Medicaid applicants — children, adults under 65, pregnant women, and parents. It includes wages, salary, tips, self-employment income, unemployment benefits, Social Security retirement and disability benefits (SSDI), and most other taxable income.

It does not count child support received, gifts, loans, inheritances that are not generating income, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. One key MAGI rule: the ACA added a 5% FPL income disregard for most adults, which effectively raises the usable threshold by that amount. So a state with a 133% FPL limit effectively covers adults to about 138% FPL after the disregard.

Assets — a bank account, car, or home — are not counted for MAGI-based programs. That's a major difference from old-law Medicaid, where asset tests were common. If you previously didn't qualify because of assets, your eligibility may have changed after the ACA.

Asset limits and long-term care Medicaid

MAGI-based programs have no asset test. But Medicaid programs that cover long-term care — nursing home care, home and community-based services for seniors — use the old income and asset methodology, which does include asset limits.

Asset limits for long-term care Medicaid vary by state and are updated periodically. Generally, countable assets above the limit must be spent down before an applicant qualifies. Exempt assets — the primary home (in most circumstances), one vehicle, and certain personal property — are not counted.

Specific asset limits for Delaware's long-term care programs are on the seniors and long-term care page. The thresholds change, so verify current figures with Delaware Medicaid directly.