Medicaid guides & explainers

Does Medicaid Check Your Bank Account? Who Gets Verified and How (2026)

Adults under 65 and children face no bank check at all; seniors and nursing home applicants get electronic account verif...

Can You Get Medicaid While Working? Income Rules for Employed Adults (2026)

Employment doesn't disqualify you; income does. What a job's gross pay, tips, overtime and 401(k) deductions mean for Me...

Does Social Security Count as Income for Medicaid? (2026 Rules)

Retirement and SSDI count in full; SSI never counts and usually brings Medicaid automatically. How the $20 disregard, Pa...

Lost Medicaid After a Raise? What Happens Next and How to Avoid a Coverage Gap

A raise over the Medicaid limit doesn't mean losing coverage overnight: children stay covered 12 months, TMA can extend ...

Medicaid Income Limits for Seniors 65 and Older (2026)

Seniors use different Medicaid rules than younger adults: SSI-based limits, an asset test, and three higher-income pathw...

Does Medicaid Cover Dental for Adults? State-by-State Coverage Levels (2026)

Children's dental is guaranteed; adult dental depends on your state. See which states offer extensive, limited or emerge...

How Long Does Medicaid Approval Take? Timelines by Application Type

Federal deadlines are 45 days (90 for disability), but online applications are often approved within a week. What speeds...

Medicaid Asset Limits for Married Couples (2026): Spousal Impoverishment Rules Explained

How much a married couple can keep and still qualify for Medicaid: the $3,000 couple limit, the $157,920 community spous...

Medicaid Income Limit for Pregnant Women (2026)

How much you can earn and still get pregnancy Medicaid in 2026: the 138% federal floor, state limits from 138% to 380%, ...

What Is MAGI? How Medicaid Counts Your Income in 2026

MAGI is the income test behind most Medicaid decisions. Learn what counts, what does not, and why the expansion limit is...

Medicaid Spend-Down Explained: Qualifying When Your Income Is Over the Limit

A spend-down lets people with high medical bills qualify for Medicaid despite income above the limit. Learn which states...

Medicaid vs. Medicare: What Is the Difference and Can You Have Both?

Medicare is age- and disability-based federal insurance; Medicaid is income-based and run by states. Millions qualify fo...

Can Medicaid Take Your House? Estate Recovery Rules Explained

Medicaid cannot take your home while you are alive, but states must try to recover long-term care costs from your estate...

Miller Trust (Qualified Income Trust): How to Qualify for Nursing Home Medicaid Over the Income Cap

In income-cap states, a Miller trust lets applicants with income above the nursing home limit qualify for Medicaid by de...

Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs: Getting Both in 2026

Qualifying for a Medicare Savings Program automatically enrolls you in Extra Help for Part D. Learn the limits, what eac...

Medicaid for Immigrants: The 5-Year Bar, Who Is Exempt, and Emergency Medicaid

Lawful permanent residents generally wait five years for Medicaid, but refugees, asylees, children and pregnant women in...

CHIP vs. Medicaid for Children: What Is the Difference and Which Will Your Child Get?

Medicaid and CHIP both cover children, but at different income levels and sometimes with different costs. Learn how stat...

Medicaid Look-Back Period: The 60-Month Rule and Transfer Penalties Explained

Gifts made within five years of applying for long-term care Medicaid can trigger a penalty period. Learn how the look-ba...

Medicaid Renewal in 2026: How Redetermination Works and How Not to Lose Coverage

Every Medicaid member is reviewed once a year. Learn how ex parte renewals work, what to do when a packet arrives, the 9...