Ohio Medicaid Eligibility Checker
Enter who the coverage is for, your household size, and your gross monthly income. This checker compares your income with Ohio’s official Medicaid income limits — the same limits the Ohio Department of Medicaid publishes in its Medicaid Eligibility Procedure Letter (MEPL) No. 194, effective March 1, 2026, built on the 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines.
How Ohio Medicaid income limits work
Ohio Medicaid eligibility is based on MAGI — Modified Adjusted Gross Income, the tax-based method used for adults, children, pregnant women, and parents. Each group has a limit set as a percentage of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The 2026 poverty guideline for a household of one is $15,960 a year, with $5,680 added per extra person.
Ohio’s limits (MEPL No. 194) are: 133% of FPL for expansion adults, 200% for pregnant women, 90% for parents and caretaker relatives, 206% for children without other insurance, 156% for children who have other creditable insurance, and 44% for individuals age 19–20. Federal rules also disregard 5 percentage points of FPL from your income when you would otherwise be just over the limit — that is why, for example, the expansion group is often described as “138%” even though the published limit is 133%.
Income is only part of eligibility. Citizenship or immigration status, Ohio residency, and — for some groups — other rules also apply, and some Ohioans qualify through disability, age, or foster-care pathways that use different tests entirely. A result here is a starting point, never a guarantee.
What to do next
Apply online at Ohio Benefits (benefits.ohio.gov), by phone at 1-844-640-6446, or in person at your county Job and Family Services office. There is no deadline — Medicaid enrollment is open year-round, and coverage can sometimes reach back to the month you applied. If your income is over the limit, you may still qualify for subsidized coverage through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, and children may qualify under a different category than the one you checked.
Ohio Medicaid groups and their income limits
The checker above covers the six groups whose eligibility is based on MAGI income. Each group’s limit is a different percentage of the Federal Poverty Level, so the same income can be within the limit for one group and over it for another. The table below shows each group’s percentage and its monthly income limit for two household sizes, calculated from the 2026 poverty guidelines using the same formula as MEPL No. 194.
| Group | Limit (% of FPL) | Limit — household of 1 | Limit — household of 4 |
| Adult age 19–64 (Medicaid expansion) | 133% | $1,769/mo | $3,658/mo |
| Pregnant woman | 200% | $2,660/mo | $5,500/mo |
| Parent or caretaker relative | 90% | $1,197/mo | $2,475/mo |
| Child under 19, no other insurance | 206% | $2,740/mo | $5,665/mo |
| Child under 19, with other creditable insurance | 156% | $2,075/mo | $4,290/mo |
| Individual age 19 or 20 | 44% | $586/mo | $1,210/mo |
A worked example. An adult in the expansion group with a household of four and gross income of $3,500 a month is compared against that group’s limit of $3,658 a month for a household of four (133% of the $33,000 poverty guideline for four). The income is within the limit, by $158 a month. A single adult in the same group faces a limit of $1,769 a month; at $1,835 a month in gross income, that person is slightly over the published limit but still counts as within it after the 5-percentage-point disregard described above — at $1,836, they would not.
Some Ohio Medicaid pathways are not based on MAGI and are not covered by this checker. Coverage for people who are aged, blind, or have a disability (often called ABD Medicaid) uses different income and resource tests, and the Medicaid Buy-In for Workers with Disabilities is a separate program for employed Ohioans with disabilities that has its own eligibility rules. If one of those pathways may apply to you, Ohio Benefits can evaluate it when you apply.
How to use this checker
- Select the group that matches the person who needs coverage — the limits differ by group.
- Select your household size, counting yourself, your spouse, and your tax dependents.
- Enter gross monthly income — pay before taxes and deductions.
- Press “Check my income” to see the Ohio limit for your group and household size and how your income compares, including the 5-percentage-point disregard if you are close to the limit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum income to qualify for Medicaid in Ohio?
There is no single maximum. The limit depends on the group and the household size. For example, an adult in the expansion group has a limit of $1,769 a month for a household of one and $3,658 a month for a household of four, while a pregnant woman’s limit is $2,660 a month for a household of one. The table above lists all six MAGI groups this checker covers.
What are the Ohio Medicaid income limits for a family of 4?
For a household of four, the monthly limits are $3,658 for an adult in the expansion group, $5,500 for a pregnant woman, $2,475 for a parent or caretaker relative, and $5,665 for a child under 19 without other insurance. Each is based on the 2026 poverty guideline of $33,000 a year for a household of four.
Does Medicaid count gross or net income?
Gross income. The MAGI method starts from your income before taxes and most deductions, with specific rules for what counts. Because the details vary by situation, the county agency’s review of your actual income is what decides eligibility.
What if my income is slightly over the limit?
You may still qualify. Federal rules disregard 5 percentage points of the poverty level from your income when you would otherwise be just over the limit, which raises the effective ceiling for the expansion group from 133% to about 138% of the poverty level. A result close to the line is a reason to apply, not a reason to assume you are ineligible.
What is the Medicaid Buy-In for Workers with Disabilities?
It is a separate Ohio Medicaid program for employed people with disabilities. It is not a MAGI category, so this checker does not evaluate it, and it has its own eligibility rules. Ohio Benefits can check Buy-In eligibility as part of an application.
When did these income limits take effect?
The limits in this checker come from the Ohio Department of Medicaid’s MEPL No. 194, effective March 1, 2026, built on the 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Income standards are updated periodically, so figures can change in future years.
Sources: Ohio Department of Medicaid, MEPL No. 194 (dam.assets.ohio.gov); 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines, U.S. HHS (aspe.hhs.gov); Ohio Benefits — benefits.ohio.gov. Verified October 31, 2026.
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