Virginia Medicaid income limits

Last verified: June 2026

Virginia Medicaid income limits by coverage group (2026)

Virginia expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act effective January 1, 2019. Most adults ages 19–64 now qualify at or below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level — the standard ACA expansion threshold. Income limits differ by household category as shown below.

Source: DMAS coverage guidelines; CoverVirginia eligibility overview. Dollar amounts approximate based on 2025 HHS FPL; verify current limits with DMAS. FAMIS = Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (Virginia's CHIP program).

Adult Medicaid income limits by household size (2026)

The table below shows approximate 138% FPL income limits for the standard adult Virginia Medicaid expansion group. These figures use the 2025 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines applied at 138%.

Add approximately $7,590/year per additional person above 8. Source: 2025 HHS FPL applied at 138%. These are approximate annual figures; DMAS uses monthly income calculations at the time of application.

No asset test for most Virginia Medicaid enrollees

Virginia's MAGI-based Medicaid — the program covering most adults, children, and pregnant individuals — has no asset test. A savings account, vehicle, or home does not affect eligibility for these categories. This has been the rule since the ACA expansion took effect in Virginia in 2019.

An asset test applies only to long-term care Medicaid programs. Nursing facility eligibility and related waiver programs have separate resource limits and financial eligibility rules evaluated at application. If you are applying because of a nursing home situation, ask DMAS or your local DSS office specifically about long-term care financial requirements.

How income is counted for Virginia Medicaid

Virginia uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) methodology to determine income for most Medicaid categories. MAGI-based income is similar to what you report on a federal tax return — it includes wages, salaries, tips, self-employment income, Social Security income (most types), and certain other income.

Several income types are excluded from the MAGI calculation, including child support received, veterans' benefits, and certain TANF payments. In a mixed-income household, only income from the household members applying for coverage is typically counted — income from a non-applying member (such as an undocumented spouse) may not affect eligibility.

DMAS uses monthly income amounts at the time of application, not annual projections. If your income fluctuates month-to-month (seasonal work, commission-based jobs), discuss how DMAS will count your income with a Cover Virginia representative before applying.

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