Idaho Medicaid Income Limits 2026: DHW Chart

Applying is free, and Medicaid pays for health care rather than giving cash. To compare Idaho with other states, see our national Medicaid income limits guide.

Idaho Medicaid Income Limits by Household Size (2026)

Idaho's Medicaid chart lists 3 family-coverage income lines, all marked effective January 2026, and the adult and pregnancy lines are identical. According to the DHW Medicaid Program Income Limits page, a household of three can have up to $3,142 a month for adult Medicaid or pregnancy coverage and $4,326 a month for a child on CHIP. These are gross monthly amounts, before taxes.

Source: Idaho DHW, Medicaid Program Income Limits (opens in a new tab), effective January 2026. DHW describes the adult line as 138% of the federal poverty level. Grantsights matched the CHIP column to the 2026 poverty guidelines: $4,326 a month is 190% of the $27,320 guideline for three, divided by 12.

\ A pregnant woman counts herself plus each unborn child, so the smallest pregnancy household is two.*

DHW's page doesn't publish separate dollar charts for children's Medicaid by age or for parents and caretakers who aren't on Expansion. One application through idalink checks every program, so you don't need to pick the right one yourself.

Yearly equivalents for adults

DHW publishes monthly figures only. Grantsights multiplied 138% by each 2026 HHS poverty guideline to get these yearly amounts; DHW's monthly chart rounds up by about a dollar.

Seniors, disability and long-term care limits

Idaho tests people who are 65 or older, blind or disabled under separate programs with their own income and resource caps.

Source: Idaho DHW, Medicaid Program Income Limits (opens in a new tab). For AABD, DHW counts a single person plus an essential person as a couple.

How Idaho Counts Your Income

Idaho uses 2 income systems, and the one you fall under decides whether your savings matter.

MAGI rules cover Medicaid Expansion adults, pregnancy coverage, children's Medicaid and CHIP. Income follows federal tax rules: wages, net self-employment income, unemployment and taxable Social Security count, while child support received and SSI don't. The household is built from tax-filing relationships, so it's usually you, a spouse and anyone you claim as a dependent. MAGI programs have no asset test. The federal 5% disregard, worth 5% of the poverty guideline for your household size, is already reflected in the 138% figure DHW publishes.

Non-MAGI rules apply to AABD Medicaid, nursing home care, home and community-based services, Katie Beckett, Medicare Savings Programs and Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities. These programs count resources such as bank accounts and some property, and they have their own income deductions.

For example, a family of three in Idaho earning $3,600 a month gross (two parents and a 7-year-old) gets a split result. Both parents are specifically $458 over the $3,142 adult limit, so neither qualifies for Medicaid Expansion. Their child is under the $4,326 CHIP line and can be covered. The parents would look at Your Health Idaho, the state's marketplace, for a plan with premium tax credits.

Idaho Medicaid Asset Limits

$2,000 is the resource limit for one person on AABD Medicaid, nursing home care and home and community-based services, according to the DHW Medicaid program income limits data for January 2026. AABD couples can have $3,000, while each spouse in the nursing home and home-care programs is listed at $2,000. Adults, pregnant women and children on MAGI coverage face no asset test.

A few other resource lines catch people off guard:

• Medicare Savings Programs allow far more: $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple in 2026.
• Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities allows $10,000 for one person and $15,000 for a couple, with income up to 500% of poverty.
• Katie Beckett looks at the child's own income and resources ($3,002 and $2,000), not the parents', which is why it can cover children from middle-income families.

Giving away money or property for less than its value before applying for nursing home care can delay coverage. A family planning ahead should talk with Idaho Legal Aid Services or an elder law attorney before moving assets.

Expansion vs Non-Expansion: Idaho's Position in 2026

Idaho voters approved Medicaid Expansion in 2018 and the program started in January 2020, according to the DHW Medicaid Expansion page. It covers adults 19 to 64 up to 138% of poverty who aren't pregnant, disabled, on Medicare or eligible for another Medicaid group. Our Texas Medicaid income limits guide shows what happens to adults in a state that never expanded. Neighboring guides for Washington and Montana cover expansion states with different 2026 rules, and Colorado's guide is another western comparison.

Idaho's 2025 and 2026 laws. Two state laws now shape Expansion:

• House Bill 345, signed March 19, 2025 and effective the same day, according to the Idaho Legislature's bill page (opens in a new tab), requires legislative approval for certain state plan amendments and waivers, and it amended Idaho Code 56-267. News coverage at the time reported that it replaced an earlier proposal that would have repealed Expansion if waivers weren't approved; the enacted law doesn't contain an automatic repeal.
• House Bill 913, signed April 10, 2026 and effective the same day, according to the Legislature's HB 913 page (opens in a new tab), added subsection (6) to Idaho Code 56-267. It requires DHW to implement community engagement requirements by December 31, 2026, bars enrollment unless a person shows compliance for the 3 consecutive months before the month they apply, and directs DHW to disenroll current members who can't show compliance.

The federal match condition. Idaho Code 56-267(5) says that if federal funding for Expansion falls below the 90% share in federal law, the Senate and House health and welfare committees must review the effects and recommend whether Expansion should remain. If the cut happens between sessions, DHW must offset the cost, including by cutting provider rates or eliminating optional benefits, until lawmakers act. Subsection (4) says the section becomes void if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the federal 90% match provision. Neither condition has occurred.

What changes in 2027. According to DHW's Medicaid Expansion page:

• Work requirements: at least 80 hours a month of work, volunteering, approved work programs or job training, or household income of at least $580 a month, or enrollment in school. DHW will begin reviewing compliance for members whose coverage periods end on or after January 1, 2027, and members must show at least 3 months of compliance during each six-month certification period.
• Six-month re-evaluations for Expansion members.
• Retroactive coverage shrinks to 2 months for regular Medicaid and 1 month for Expansion applicants.
• Exclusions DHW lists include pregnancy and postpartum coverage, caregivers of a child 13 or younger or of a person with a disability, people with a disabling physical, mental or developmental condition, people in substance use treatment, former foster youth 19 to 25, American Indians and Alaska Natives, veterans with a 100% disability rating and SNAP or TANF recipients already meeting those programs' work rules.

Already in effect: starting October 1, 2026, federal Medicaid and CHIP funding is generally limited to citizens, lawful permanent residents, Cuban/Haitian entrants and COFA migrants, under CMS State Health Official letter 26-001 (opens in a new tab) (April 8, 2026). DHW hasn't posted Idaho-specific guidance on this change that Grantsights could find, so refugees and asylees should read any notice they receive closely. DHW's dollar chart doesn't change because of it.

What Idaho DHW Doesn't Tell You About the Income Limits

Grantsights compared DHW's income limits page with Idaho law and the HHS guidelines and found 5 gaps worth knowing:

1. Idaho's look-back is longer than its neighbors'. Washington's HCA and Montana's DPHHS check only the month before a new application, according to their published guidance, while Idaho Code 56-267(6) requires 3 consecutive months before the application month. An adult who just started a job may need to wait or show another route, such as an exclusion. Applying anyway is still worth it, since DHW checks exclusions first.
2. CHIP reaches well above the adult line. Grantsights analysis of DHW's January 2026 chart shows CHIP for a household of three ends at $4,326, which is $1,184 a month more than the $3,142 adult and pregnancy limit. Many parents underestimate how much they can earn while their kids stay covered.
3. Pregnancy coverage is lower in Idaho than in its neighbors. Idaho's pregnancy line equals its adult line at 138% of poverty. Grantsights analysis of the published state charts found Washington covers pregnancy to $4,896 a month for three, $1,754 more than Idaho's $3,142, so a family that moved from Washington shouldn't assume the same answer.
4. The nursing home limit isn't exactly 300% of SSI. Three times the $994 SSI rate is $2,982, but DHW's chart lists $3,002, $20 higher. Use DHW's figure, not a national average.
5. Medicare Savings Program figures are a few dollars over the poverty line. QMB is labeled 0-100% of poverty, but DHW's limit is $1,350 rather than $1,330, which reflects a standard $20 income disregard. People within a few dollars of the line should apply rather than rule themselves out.

Common Mistakes and Red Flags

Most wrong answers about Idaho Medicaid trace back to a short list of errors:

• Comparing the chart to your paycheck deposit. DHW's figures are before taxes, so a deposit of $2,900 can hide gross pay well over the $3,142 line for three. Pre-tax 401(k) and health premium deductions do lower countable income.
• Leaving the unborn baby out. A common mistake is counting a pregnant woman as a household of one, which makes the limit look lower than it is.
• Not tracking work hours before 2027 renewals. DHW tells Expansion members to start logging work, volunteer, training and school hours now, since 3 months of compliance must show up in each six-month period.
• Assuming the kids are out because the parents are. Each person is tested separately, and CHIP's line is much higher.
• Paying someone to apply. Applying for Idaho Medicaid or CHIP is free. Treat it as a red flag if a website, text or caller wants a fee, a gift card or your bank password before "submitting" an Idaho application. DHW field offices and idalink don't charge.
• Missing a notice. DHW asks for verification by mail. Keep your address, phone and email current in idalink and answer requests quickly.

How to Apply for Idaho Medicaid and How Long It Takes

Federal Medicaid rules at 42 CFR 435.912 (opens in a new tab) set a maximum of 45 days to decide most applications and 90 days when a disability decision is needed. DHW may mail a request for more information first; answering quickly keeps the clock moving. After approval, DHW sends a written notice, and a Medicaid benefit plan is chosen for you.

1. Online: through idalink (opens in a new tab), Idaho's self-service portal for Medicaid, food, cash and child care help.
2. By phone: call 877-456-1233 (toll free) for an application interview.
3. In person: visit the closest DHW field office.
4. By mail, email or fax: send a completed application to Self Reliance Programs, PO Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0026, email MyBenefits@dhw.idaho.gov or fax 1-866-434-8278.

Have identification, proof of household income, current monthly expenses and immigration documents if they apply. For AABD or nursing home applications, add bank statements and property records. If you also need help with groceries, our Idaho food stamps guide covers SNAP, which uses different limits.

What to Do If You're Denied

You have 30 days from the date on your notice to appeal an Idaho Medicaid or CHIP decision, according to DHW's Appeals and Fair Hearings page (opens in a new tab). If you want benefits to continue during the appeal, you must tell DHW within 10 days of the notice date, and you may have to repay benefits if you lose. You can appeal with the Fair Hearing Request form, in writing by mail, email or fax, or by calling 877-456-1233. Hearings are held by the Office of Administrative Hearings, usually by phone.

Read the reason on the notice first. If it's income, compare DHW's number with your gross pay and household size. If it's the work rule, check whether an exclusion applied, such as caring for a child 13 or younger. Idaho Legal Aid Services can help at no cost.

If You're Over the Idaho Medicaid Limit

Even a small overage leaves at least 5 other routes, and for families the best bet is often CHIP for the children, which runs to $5,225 a month for four.

• Your Health Idaho: adults over 138% can buy a plan with federal premium tax credits; see HealthCare.gov's savings page (opens in a new tab) for how the credits work. DHW warns that people who lose Expansion for not meeting work rules may also lose access to the tax credit, though they can still buy a plan.
• Medicare Savings Programs: if you have Medicare, QMB covers premiums and cost sharing up to $1,350 a month for one person.
• Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities: working adults with a disability can qualify up to $6,670 a month, paying a premium based on income.
• Katie Beckett: for children with significant disabilities living at home, regardless of parents' income.
• WIC in Idaho supports pregnant women, infants and children under 5 at incomes up to 185% of poverty, which is higher than the Medicaid pregnancy line; our WIC income limits guide has the dollar figures.
• Idaho seniors and people with disabilities: cash help and in-home services are covered in our SSI income limits guide and help for seniors programs guide.

Idaho families with other bills can use our LIHEAP income limits guide for heating costs and our federal poverty guidelines guide to turn any percentage into dollars, while our SNAP income limits guide explains the national food program. For rent, utility or other bills, Grantsights' free eligibility checker lists official Idaho and federal programs to look into. It doesn't decide Idaho Medicaid eligibility and doesn't apply for you; it shows where to go.

FAQ: Idaho Medicaid Income Limits

What is the income limit for Idaho Medicaid in 2026?

$1,836 a month for one adult and $3,795 for four, effective January 2026.

How much can a family of 4 make and get Medicaid in Idaho?

$3,795 a month for the adults; CHIP for the kids up to $5,225.

What is the Idaho Medicaid income limit for pregnant women?

$2,489 a month for two and $3,142 for three.

What is the CHIP income limit in Idaho?

$4,326 a month for three and $5,225 for four.

What are the Idaho Medicaid income and asset limits for seniors?

AABD: $1,047 a month and $2,000 in resources for one person.

What is the income limit for nursing home Medicaid in Idaho?

$3,002 a month for one person, with $2,000 in resources.

When do Idaho Medicaid work requirements start?

Reviews begin with coverage periods ending on or after January 1, 2027.

Is Idaho repealing Medicaid expansion?

No; expansion continues under laws passed in 2025 and 2026.

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Sources

1. Idaho DHW: Medicaid Program Income Limits (opens in a new tab), effective January 2026, page updated April 20, 2026
2. Idaho DHW: Medicaid Expansion (opens in a new tab), updated November 2, 2026 - 2027 work requirements, re-evaluations, exclusions
3. Idaho DHW: Apply for Medicaid (opens in a new tab)
4. Idaho DHW: Pregnancy Coverage (opens in a new tab)
5. Idaho DHW: Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (opens in a new tab)
6. Idaho DHW: Appeals and Fair Hearings (opens in a new tab)
7. Idaho Code 56-267: Medicaid Eligibility Expansion (opens in a new tab)
8. Idaho Legislature: 2025 House Bill 345 (opens in a new tab), signed March 19, 2025 (Session Law Chapter 118)
9. Idaho Legislature: 2026 House Bill 913 (opens in a new tab), signed April 10, 2026 (Session Law Chapter 334)
10. CMS: State Health Official letter #26-001 (April 8, 2026) (opens in a new tab) - federal funding limits for noncitizens
11. eCFR: 42 CFR 435.912, Timely determinations (opens in a new tab)
12. HHS ASPE: 2026 Poverty Guidelines (opens in a new tab)
13. HealthCare.gov: Lower costs on Marketplace coverage (opens in a new tab)