Rhode Island Medicaid income limits
Last verified: June 2026
Verify current limits with Rhode Island Medicaid
Income limits are based on 2026 HHS poverty guidelines — verify current figures with EOHHS
Rhode Island Medicaid income limits by coverage group (2026)
Rhode Island's pregnant women and children income thresholds are among the higher ones in the Northeast. Adults qualify at the standard ACA expansion level of 138% FPL.
| Coverage group | FPL % | Monthly limit (household of 1) | Monthly limit (household of 4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults ages 19–64 (ACA expansion) | 138% FPL | ~$1,732/mo | ~$3,564/mo |
| Pregnant women | 253% FPL | ~$3,175/mo | ~$6,531/mo |
| Children (Medicaid and RIte Care CHIP) | Up to 261% FPL | ~$3,276/mo | ~$6,737/mo |
Source: Rhode Island EOHHS; 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines. Amounts are approximate monthly gross income. The 5% MAGI income disregard applies to the adult expansion group. Contact EOHHS for exact household-specific figures.
No asset test for standard Rhode Island Medicaid
Rhode Island does not use an asset test for MAGI-based Medicaid, which covers adults 19–64, children, and pregnant women. Savings, vehicles, and home equity do not affect eligibility.
Long-term care Medicaid — for seniors needing nursing facility or home-based care — does apply asset limits. Rhode Island's Community Choice Waiver and nursing facility programs follow federal spousal impoverishment rules. Contact EOHHS or a Rhode Island elder law attorney for long-term care eligibility details.
How Rhode Island counts income for Medicaid
Rhode Island uses MAGI methodology for most Medicaid categories, counting income in the same way as a federal tax return — with a few modifications.
- Wages, salaries, tips, and self-employment income count
- Social Security benefits count for most adult categories
- Unemployment benefits count
- Child support received counts as income
- A 5% income disregard applies to the adult expansion group at 138% FPL
- Gifts, inheritances, and one-time lump sums generally do not count as income under MAGI
- Household size follows IRS tax dependency rules, not just who lives in the home
Rhode Island's pregnant women coverage: 253% FPL
Rhode Island's 253% FPL income limit for pregnant women is one of the higher thresholds in the country — well above the federal minimum of 133% FPL. This means many Rhode Island women who would not qualify for standard adult Medicaid (138% FPL) can still get comprehensive prenatal, delivery, and postpartum coverage through Medicaid while pregnant. Pregnancy Medicaid includes prenatal care, delivery, postpartum care through 60 days after delivery, and access to behavioral health services — all through the same managed care plans as standard Rhode Island 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.
These are federal guidelines — state limits may differ
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 Rhode Island's long-term care programs are on the seniors and long-term care page. The thresholds change, so verify current figures with Rhode Island Medicaid directly.