Maryland Medicaid income limits

Last verified: June 2026

Maryland Medicaid income limits by coverage group (2026)

Maryland uses MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) rules for most coverage groups. MAGI counts wages, self-employment income, Social Security, and most other taxable income. There is no asset test for MAGI-based Maryland Medicaid. Seniors and individuals applying based on disability or long-term care use separate non-MAGI rules with asset tests.

Source: Maryland Department of Health, Medical Care Programs Administration income limits documentation; 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Level guidelines. Annual figures are approximations for general reference. Verify exact thresholds at health.maryland.gov/mmcp or call 1-855-642-8572. EID uses only earned (employment) income for the income calculation.

No asset test for most Maryland Medicaid

MAGI-based Maryland Medical Assistance — covering adults, children, and pregnant women — has no asset test. Savings, retirement accounts, vehicles, and home equity do not count against eligibility. This is the same rule across all ACA expansion states.

Individuals applying based on age (65+), blindness, or disability use non-MAGI rules that include both income and asset tests. Maryland's asset limit for a single individual in the non-MAGI category is generally $2,500. For a couple, the limit is generally $3,000. These figures are set by state regulations and can change — verify current amounts with the Maryland Department of Health.

The EID (Employed Individuals with Disabilities) program calculates income differently: only earned income counts toward the 250% FPL limit. Unearned income like SSDI is largely disregarded. This makes EID available to some working adults with disabilities who would otherwise earn too much for standard Medicaid.

Maryland Children's Health Program: 317% FPL for children

Maryland's 317% FPL income limit for the Maryland Children's Health Program (MCHP) is among the highest in the country. At this threshold, a family of four with annual income under approximately $98,904 qualifies for publicly funded health coverage for their children. The program provides comprehensive benefits equivalent to full Medicaid — not the scaled-back benefits found in some CHIP programs.

MCHP is funded through a combination of federal Medicaid and CHIP dollars. There are no monthly premiums for children below 200% FPL. For children between 200% and 317% FPL, nominal premiums may apply depending on income. Apply through marylandhealthconnection.gov — the same application covers MCHP and adult Medicaid.

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