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Michigan Medicaid Income Limits 2026: Full Chart

By GrantsightsUpdated 21 official sourcesHow we checkCorrections

Quick Answer: Michigan's Healthy Michigan Plan covers adults 19 to 64 up to 133% of poverty, which works out to about $1,769 a month for one person and $3,658 for four under the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines (published January 15, 2026)…

Full answer and how we checked it

Michigan's Healthy Michigan Plan covers adults 19 to 64 up to 133% of poverty, which works out to about $1,769 a month for one person and $3,658 for four under the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines (published January 15, 2026); the 5% disregard pushes the real cutoff to about $1,835 a month ($22,025 a year) for one and $3,795 a month ($45,540 a year) for four. Uninsured children qualify for MIChild up to 212% (about $5,830 a month for a family of four), and pregnant women up to 195% (about $4,440 a month for three). Seniors and people with disabilities use AD-Care, at 100% of poverty plus $20 with a $9,950 asset limit in 2026, and nursing home care has a $2,982 monthly income cap for 2026. The poverty-based figures change after HHS publishes new guidelines each January; the SSI-based nursing home cap rises to $3,087 on January 1, 2027.

This guide is for: anyone in Michigan checking whether they, a child, a pregnant family member or an aging parent can get Medicaid in 2026: a laid-off autoworker, a parent whose kids need MIChild, someone whose Healthy Michigan Plan renewal is coming, or a family planning nursing home care for a parent.

Data note: Grantsights checked the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Reference Table 246, MA poverty levels (opens in a new tab), Reference Table 242, AD-Care and Medicare Savings income limits (opens in a new tab), Reference Table 248, SSI payment levels (opens in a new tab) (effective January 1, 2026) and Bridges Eligibility Manual items on the Healthy Michigan Plan (opens in a new tab), pregnant women (opens in a new tab), low-income families (opens in a new tab) and assets (opens in a new tab) (November 1, 2026 version) against the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines (opens in a new tab) and the Social Security rate notice on November 3, 2026.

In this guide (11 sections)

Medicaid isn't a grant, and applying costs nothing. To see how Michigan stacks up against other states, start with our national Medicaid income limits guide.

Michigan Medicaid Income Limits by Household Size (2026)

MDHHS sets 6 percentage limits for the income-based (MAGI) groups but doesn't post a dollar chart for them. According to MDHHS Reference Table 246, the Healthy Michigan Plan uses 133% of poverty, Medicaid for children 1 to 18 uses 160%, pregnant women and babies under 1 use 195%, and MIChild uses 212%. The Bridges low-income family item (BEM 110) (opens in a new tab) adds a 54% limit for parents and caretakers. Grantsights converted each percentage to monthly gross income using the 2026 HHS guideline.

Household sizeParents/caretakers, LIF (54%)Healthy Michigan Plan, adults 19-64 (133%)HMP with 5% disregard (about 138%)Children 1-18, Medicaid (160%)Pregnant women and infants (195%)MIChild, uninsured children (212%)
1$718$1,769$1,835$2,128$2,594$2,820
2$974$2,398$2,489$2,885$3,516$3,823
3$1,229$3,028$3,142$3,643$4,440$4,827
4$1,485$3,658$3,795$4,400$5,362$5,830
5$1,741$4,287$4,448$5,157$6,286$6,833
6$1,996$4,917$5,101$5,915$7,208$7,837
7$2,252$5,546$5,755$6,672$8,132$8,840
8$2,507$6,176$6,408$7,429$9,054$9,844
Each additional person+$256+$630+$653+$757+$923+$1,003

Percentages: MDHHS RFT 246 (opens in a new tab) (in effect since April 1, 2014), BEM 110 (opens in a new tab), BEM 125 (opens in a new tab) and BEM 137 (opens in a new tab). Dollar figures are calculated by Grantsights from the stated percentage of the 2026 HHS poverty guideline ($15,960 for one person, plus $5,680 per person) and rounded to the nearest dollar. They are not an MDHHS chart; your MDHHS specialist's budget is the figure that counts.

Yearly, the Healthy Michigan Plan line at 138% is about $22,025 for one person, $37,702 for three and $45,540 for four. MIChild at 212% reaches about $57,918 a year for three and $69,960 for four.

Aged, blind, disabled and long-term care limits

Seniors 65 and older, people who are blind and people with disabilities don't use the MAGI table. According to the Social Security rate data MDHHS copies into RFT 248, the 2026 SSI rate is $994 for one person, and Michigan's nursing home cap is three times that. They're tested under SSI-related rules, with both an income test and an asset test.

GroupMonthly income limitEffectiveAsset limit (1 / 2 people)
AD-Care, single (100% FPL + $20)$1,325 posted; about $1,350 with 2026 guideline*Posted April 1, 2025$9,950 / $14,910
AD-Care, couple (100% FPL + $20)$1,783 posted; about $1,824 with 2026 guideline*Posted April 1, 2025$9,950 / $14,910
Nursing home or MI Choice waiver, Extended-Care (300% of SSI)$2,982January 1, 2026$9,950 / $14,910
Same, from January 2027 (300% of $1,029)$3,087**January 1, 2027Not yet posted
SSI recipientsAutomatic Medicaid; SSI rate $994 single, $1,491 coupleJanuary 1, 2026Set by SSA

Sources: MDHHS RFT 242 (opens in a new tab), RFT 248 (opens in a new tab), BEM 164 (opens in a new tab) and BEM 400 (opens in a new tab). \RFT 242 as posted on November 3, 2026 still lists the April 1, 2025 figures; the 2026 numbers apply its stated formula (100% of the HHS guideline plus a $20 disregard) to the 2026 guideline and are Grantsights calculations. \\Calculated from the 2027 SSI rate in the Federal Register notice of October 26, 2026 (opens in a new tab).*

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How MDHHS Counts Your Income

Michigan runs 2 income systems side by side, and your category decides which one you face.

MAGI groups cover the Healthy Michigan Plan, parents and caretakers, children, MIChild and pregnant women. MAGI means modified adjusted gross income, the number built from your federal tax return. Paychecks, net self-employment income, unemployment benefits and taxable Social Security count. Child support you receive, SSI and veterans' disability payments don't. The household follows tax filing: you, a spouse and anyone you claim. Non-filers are grouped with the spouse and children they live with. For pregnancy, each expected baby adds one person.

Federal rule 42 CFR 435.603 (opens in a new tab) sets up a 5% disregard: MDHHS knocks 5% of the poverty line off a MAGI budget whenever that small cut is the only thing standing between you and coverage. According to the 2026 HHS poverty guideline data, that cut is $66.50 a month for a single adult, $113.83 for three people and $137.50 for four. So BEM 137 reads 133%, yet HMP behaves like a 138% program.

For example, a family of three in Michigan earning $3,130 a month (a single dad and two kids) is specifically $102 above the $3,028 Healthy Michigan Plan figure. Subtracting the $113.83 disregard leaves $3,016, which is under the line, so the dad can get coverage. The kids clear MIChild's $4,827 limit by almost $1,700 and would qualify even if he didn't. At $3,150 a month, the disregard would no longer be enough for the dad.

SSI-related groups (AD-Care, Extended-Care and Group 2 aged, blind and disabled) use SSI counting rules. Gross Social Security counts, though a $20 general disregard comes off. Assets are tested too, and a married couple is usually tested together.

Michigan Medicaid Asset Limits

$9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple is the 2026 asset limit for AD-Care, Extended-Care, the MI Choice waiver, the Medicare Savings Program and several other SSI-related groups, according to BEM 400 (opens in a new tab) (effective January 1, 2026). Michigan moved these groups off the old $2,000 limit on February 1, 2025. Other SSI-related categories not on that list still use $2,000 for one and $3,000 for two.

The Healthy Michigan Plan, children's Medicaid, MIChild and pregnancy coverage have no asset test. Savings, a car or a house don't count against you there.

For long-term care, a couple where one spouse enters a nursing home has extra protections for the spouse at home, under the special asset rules in BEM 402. Transfers of assets for less than fair value can trigger a penalty period under BEM 405. If a nursing home stay is close, a legal aid office or elder law attorney can explain the transfer rules before you move money.

Expansion vs Non-Expansion: Michigan's Healthy Michigan Plan in 2026

Michigan is an expansion state: the Healthy Michigan Plan has covered adults 19 to 64 at or below 133% of poverty since April 1, 2014, under the federal health law and Michigan Public Act 107 of 2013. You don't need children or a disability. In a non-expansion state like Texas, an adult without kids usually can't get Medicaid at any income; our Texas Medicaid income limits guide shows that gap. Neighbors Ohio and Indiana also expanded.

To be on HMP, BEM 137 says you can't have or qualify for Medicare or another Medicaid group, and you can't be pregnant when you apply (pregnancy has its own, higher limit). Parents applying for themselves must show their children have health coverage, even if they aren't applying for the kids.

What changes in 2027. The details below come from the MDHHS Healthy Michigan Plan work requirements page (opens in a new tab) (updated June 23, 2026) and its July 23, 2026 announcement (opens in a new tab):

  • New applicants from January 1, 2027 must show work or an exemption in the month before applying or the month they apply.
  • Current members are checked at renewals dated March 1, 2027 or later, and need to show it for at least one month since their last renewal.
  • The test: 80 hours in a month of paid or unpaid work, an internship or work program, volunteering, high school or GED classes, or college or vocational school, or at least $580 in earnings in one month. Seasonal workers can average the past 12 months.
  • Most HMP members move from yearly to six-month renewals.
  • Exemptions include pregnancy and the 12 months after birth, parents or caregivers of a child 13 or younger, caregivers of a person with a disability, American Indians and Alaska Natives, former foster youth under 26, disabled veterans, people in treatment for a substance use disorder, people with a disabling or serious health condition, people released from jail or prison within 3 months, people meeting SNAP or TANF work rules, and some temporary hardships.

According to the MDHHS work requirements guide, the $580 isn't an income limit, so it doesn't change the table above. One trap: if you lose HMP only because you didn't meet the work rule, MDHHS says you can't get Marketplace premium tax credits either. You can check whether you're on HMP in your MI Bridges account or by calling the Beneficiary Help Line at 1-800-642-3195.

What MDHHS's Charts Don't Tell You

Grantsights found 6 gaps between Michigan's published tables and how eligibility works in practice:

  1. There's no dollar chart for the main groups. RFT 246 lists percentages only, so every dollar figure you see online, including ours, is a calculation from the HHS guideline. MDHHS doesn't post the date Bridges switches to each year's guideline.
  2. The senior table on the manual site is a year old. RFT 242 as posted still shows April 1, 2025 limits ($1,325 for one). Grantsights analysis of the 2026 HHS guideline puts the same formula at about $1,350, so a senior a few dollars over the posted figure should still apply.
  3. The asset limit is almost five times what most sites say. Grantsights analysis of BEM 400 found Michigan's $9,950 limit for AD-Care and nursing home coverage is 4.98 times the $2,000 that many national guides still quote. Many older Michiganders underestimate this and never apply.
  4. Parents have two limits, and the low one rarely matters. BEM 110 sets 54% for low-income family Medicaid ($1,229 for three), but most parents qualify through HMP at 133% ($3,028 for three). Don't stop at the 54% figure.
  5. MIChild is real Medicaid now, with no premium. It became a Medicaid expansion program on January 1, 2016, and the old $10-a-month premium ended on January 1, 2024, according to MDHHS Numbered Letter B 23-08 (opens in a new tab).
  6. Being over the limit isn't always the end. Michigan's Group 2 programs turn excess income into a monthly deductible. Once medical bills meet it, Medicaid covers the rest of the month (BEM 545).

Grantsights analysis of RFT 246 against the 2026 guideline found that in a family of four, MIChild's limit ($5,830 a month) sits $2,035 above the Healthy Michigan Plan's working cutoff ($3,795). The Medicaid.gov eligibility levels table (opens in a new tab), current as of December 1, 2023, shows the same percentages: 212% for children, 195% for pregnancy, 54% for parents and 133% for expansion adults.

Common Mistakes and Red Flags

These 6 errors lead Michigan families to give up on coverage they could get:

  • Using net pay for the wrong group. HMP, children and MIChild use MAGI, which starts from gross income. Pregnancy coverage tests net income under BEM 125. Check which one applies before comparing numbers.
  • Applying for a parent but not the kids. A common mistake is assuming a denial for one person covers the household. Each person is tested on their own.
  • Ignoring MI Bridges messages. With six-month renewals coming, a missed request for information is the fastest way to lose HMP. Set your contact preference in MI Bridges and answer by the due date.
  • Quoting the $2,000 asset rule for a parent. Families often tell an aging parent they have "too much saved" when $9,950 is the 2026 limit for AD-Care.
  • Paying a "Medicaid enrollment" service. Applying is free. A red flag is anyone asking for a fee, a gift card or your MI Bridges password. MDHHS says CMS texts about the work rules come only from 633767, and emails come only from no-reply@info.medicaid.gov.
  • Waiting to gather every document. MDHHS can request missing proof after you file, and the 45-day clock starts with the application, so apply as soon as a bill or need comes up.

How to Apply for Michigan Medicaid and How Long It Takes

MDHHS must decide most Medicaid applications within 45 days, pregnant women's within 15 days, and disability-based applications within 90 days, under Bridges Administrative Manual item 115 (opens in a new tab) (October 1, 2026 version).

  1. Online: through MI Bridges (opens in a new tab), the state's application portal for Medicaid, HMP and MIChild.
  2. By phone: the MDHHS Beneficiary Help Line, 1-800-642-3195, or MIChild at 1-888-988-6300 (TTY 1-888-263-5897).
  3. In person: at your county MDHHS office. Nursing home and AD-Care applications usually go through the local office.

Have pay stubs or a recent tax return, Social Security numbers, proof of Michigan address and, for AD-Care or nursing home coverage, bank statements and asset records ready. MDHHS's health care programs eligibility page (opens in a new tab) lists every program in one place. If food is tight too, our Michigan food stamps guide covers the Food Assistance Program, which uses different limits.

What to Do If You're Denied

90 calendar days from the date of your written notice is the deadline to ask for a hearing, according to Bridges Administrative Manual item 600 (opens in a new tab) (May 1, 2026 version). The local office must receive the request inside that window. A request made before the change takes effect, or within 11 days of an immediate action, counts as timely, and coverage can usually stay in place until the hearing.

Your best bet before filing is to compare the notice with your own numbers. Check the household size, the income MDHHS used and whether the 5% disregard was applied. The Michigan Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules (MOAHR) handles the hearing. If your HMP ended over the work rule, the notice explains what proof would restore it, and you can reapply once you meet the rule or an exemption.

If You're Over the Michigan Medicaid Limit

3 other routes often help a household that misses Michigan Medicaid by a small amount:

  • Medicare Savings Programs: under RFT 242's formula (120% and 135% of poverty plus $20), the 2026 limits work out to about $1,616 a month for one person for SLMB and $1,816 for ALMB, with the same $9,950 asset limit. These pay Part B premiums.
  • Marketplace coverage: adults above 138% can check HealthCare.gov's savings page (opens in a new tab) for premium tax credits. Losing Medicaid for income opens a special enrollment period.
  • Your kids or a pregnancy: a household over HMP may still qualify at 195% or 212%. WIC uses 185% of poverty for pregnant women and young children.

For seniors, our SSI income limits guide and help for seniors programs guide cover cash help and services. The federal poverty guidelines guide lists every percentage by household size. For other states in this series, see Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia and Colorado.

If rent, utilities or other bills are part of the problem, Grantsights' free eligibility checker points you to official programs to apply to. It doesn't decide Medicaid eligibility or file anything for you.

FAQ: Michigan Medicaid Income Limits

What is the income limit for Michigan Medicaid in 2026?

About $1,835 a month for one adult on the Healthy Michigan Plan, counting the 5% disregard.

What is the MIChild income limit in Michigan?

212% of poverty, about $5,830 a month for a family of four, with no premium.

What is the Michigan Medicaid income limit for pregnant women?

195% of poverty on net income, about $4,440 a month for a household of three.

What is the income limit for Michigan Medicaid for seniors?

AD-Care uses 100% of poverty plus $20, about $1,350 a month for one person with the 2026 guideline.

What is the Michigan Medicaid income limit for nursing home care?

$2,982 a month in 2026, rising to $3,087 in January 2027.

Does Michigan Medicaid have an asset limit?

Only for aged, blind, disabled and long-term care groups: $9,950 single, $14,910 couple in 2026.

When do Healthy Michigan Plan work requirements start?

January 1, 2027 for applicants; renewals from March 1, 2027 for current members.

How long do I have to appeal a Michigan Medicaid denial?

90 calendar days from the date of the notice.

Sources

  1. MDHHS Reference Tables Manual, RFT 246: MA Poverty Levels (opens in a new tab), effective April 1, 2014 - HMP 133%, children 160%, pregnant women and infants 195%, MIChild 212%
  2. MDHHS RFT 242: AD-Care and Medicare Savings Program Income Limits (opens in a new tab), effective April 1, 2025 (version posted November 3, 2026)
  3. MDHHS RFT 248: SSI Payment Levels (opens in a new tab), amounts effective January 1, 2026 - $2,982 Extended Care/Waiver limit
  4. MDHHS Bridges Eligibility Manual BEM 137: Healthy Michigan Plan (opens in a new tab), January 1, 2024
  5. BEM 110: Low-Income Family MA (opens in a new tab), April 1, 2018, and BEM 125: Pregnant Women (opens in a new tab), April 1, 2022
  6. BEM 164: Extended-Care (opens in a new tab), July 1, 2020, and BEM 545: MA Group 2 Income Eligibility (opens in a new tab), July 1, 2022
  7. BEM 400: Assets (opens in a new tab), November 1, 2026 - $9,950 and $14,910 limits effective January 1, 2026
  8. Bridges Administrative Manual BAM 115: Application Processing (opens in a new tab), October 1, 2026, and BAM 600: Hearings (opens in a new tab), May 1, 2026
  9. MDHHS: New Healthy Michigan Plan Work Requirements (opens in a new tab), updated June 23, 2026
  10. MDHHS news release: Healthy Michigan Plan beneficiaries and federally required changes (opens in a new tab), July 23, 2026
  11. MDHHS Numbered Letter B 23-08: MIChild premiums end January 1, 2024 (opens in a new tab)
  12. MDHHS: Health Care Programs Eligibility (opens in a new tab)
  13. HHS ASPE: 2026 Poverty Guidelines (opens in a new tab), published January 15, 2026
  14. Federal Register: Cost-of-Living Increase and Other Determinations for 2027 (opens in a new tab), October 26, 2026 - 2026 and 2027 SSI rates
  15. Medicaid.gov: Medicaid, CHIP and BHP Eligibility Levels (opens in a new tab), as of December 1, 2023
  16. eCFR: 42 CFR 435.603, MAGI and the 5% disregard (opens in a new tab)
  17. HealthCare.gov: Lower costs on Marketplace coverage (opens in a new tab)

Last updated November 3, 2026. Published by Grantsights from public sources. See our editorial policy, how we build and check guides, corrections and how we make money.

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