Washington Medicaid income limits

Last verified: June 2026

Apple Health income limits by coverage group (2026)

Washington expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Income limits are expressed as percentages of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), which HHS updates each January. Dollar amounts below reflect the 2025 FPL base applied at the stated percentages.

Source: Washington HCA Apple Health eligibility guidelines. Dollar amounts approximate based on 2025 HHS FPL applied at stated percentages. Verify current figures at hca.wa.gov/apple-health.

Adult Apple Health income limits by household size (2026)

Add approximately $7,590/year per additional person above 8. Source: 2025 HHS FPL applied at 138%. Washington uses monthly income calculations at the time of application.

No asset test for MAGI-based Apple Health

MAGI-based Apple Health — the category covering most adults, children, and pregnant individuals — has no asset test. A bank account, car, retirement savings, or home equity does not affect eligibility for these programs. Asset tests apply only to long-term care programs administered through ALTSA.

This is a meaningful distinction: Washington is an expansion state with no asset test for its primary adult coverage category. A working adult with savings who loses a job and has income drop below 138% FPL qualifies immediately — assets do not delay eligibility.

Children's income limits: what 312% FPL means in practice

Apple Health for Kids' 312% FPL limit is among the highest of any state and covers many middle-income families who might not expect to qualify. For a family of four, 312% FPL is approximately $97,000 per year (2025 FPL base). A family of two earning $65,000 would still qualify their children.

Children who qualify through the CHIP income range receive the same Apple Health benefits and use the same managed care plans as children enrolled through standard Medicaid. There is no separate CHIP card or program — all eligible children are enrolled through the same application process.

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