Mississippi Medicaid Income Limits 2026: CHIP & Parents

For how Mississippi compares with other states, see our national Medicaid income limits guide.

Mississippi Medicaid and CHIP Income Limits by Household Size (March 2026)

Mississippi publishes 6 monthly income lines for families, and the Division says each figure already reflects the 5% disregard. All of them took effect March 1, 2026.

Source: Mississippi Division of Medicaid, Income Limits for Medicaid & CHIP Programs (opens in a new tab), effective 03/01/2026. The chart labels each group with its base percentage (194%, 143%, 133%, 209%) and says the dollar amounts include the 5% disregard; the "+ 5%" labels are Grantsights' reading of that note. The pregnancy line also covers the Family Planning Waiver for ages 13 to 44.

Who's missing from the table: adults 19 to 64 who aren't pregnant, aren't caring for a dependent child under 18, and don't have a disability. Mississippi has no full-Medicaid group for them.

On the federal side, Medicaid.gov keeps a state-by-state eligibility levels table (opens in a new tab) last set to state decisions as of December 1, 2023. Its Mississippi row reads 194% for infants and for pregnancy, 143% for ages 1 to 5, 133% for ages 6 to 18, 209% for separate CHIP, 19% for parents (a dollar amount turned into a percentage) and "No" for expansion. Those match the base percentages on the Division's own chart.

How the Division of Medicaid Counts Income

The Division compares household gross income under IRS MAGI rules with the chart, and it applies the 5% disregard "if needed," worth about $114 a month for a family of three in 2026, according to the March 2026 income chart. The same chart says eligibility is "determined for Medicaid first, then CHIP," so a child who misses Medicaid by a few dollars is checked for CHIP automatically.

What that means in practice:

• Tax rules set the household. MAGI follows who files and who's claimed, with special rules for people who don't file.
• The baby counts. Under federal MAGI rules at 42 CFR 435.603 (opens in a new tab), a pregnant woman's household includes each expected child, so she's never a household of one for the pregnancy line.
• Parents need a child under 18. Mississippi's parent and caretaker group requires a dependent child under 18, a year younger than the children's Medicaid cutoff.
• Report changes within 10 days. The Division's reporting pamphlet (revised February 2026) lists income, address, household size and new health insurance.
• No asset test applies to children, parents, pregnant women or CHIP.

Children under 19 get 12 months of continuous eligibility under Chapter 101 of the Eligibility Manual, so a raise in the middle of the year doesn't end a child's coverage.

Mississippi Medicaid for Seniors and People With Disabilities

Mississippi's aged, blind and disabled (ABD) groups start from the $994 a month SSI federal benefit rate for 2026 (effective January 1, 2026, per Appendix A-1), and the Division's most generous at-home line, the Healthier Mississippi Waiver, reaches 135% of poverty ($1,796 a month).

Sources: Division of Medicaid Eligibility Manual Appendix A-1 (opens in a new tab) (revised 03/01/2026; SSI figures effective 1/1/2026, poverty-based figures 3/1/2026), Appendix A-2 (opens in a new tab) (revised 07/01/2026), the Working Disabled guide (opens in a new tab) and the Medicare Cost-Sharing pamphlet (opens in a new tab) (revised 3/1/2026).

A note on the Medicare Savings Program numbers: Appendix A-1 lists the base poverty figures ($1,330, $1,596 and $1,796 for one person), while the consumer pamphlet tells applicants their total monthly income must be under $1,380, $1,646 and $1,846, which is $50 higher in every case. Use the pamphlet figure as your screening number and let the regional office do the final budget.

Long-term care figures the Division uses in 2026 (Appendix A-2):

• Resource limit: $4,000 for a single person or the institutionalized spouse, double the SSI limit.
• Spouse at home: the community spouse can keep up to $162,660 in resources and up to $4,066.50 a month in income through the maintenance needs allowance.
• Home equity cap: $752,000.
• Transfer penalty: improper transfers are divided by $9,430 a month ($309 a day) to set the penalty period.
• Income over $2,982? Mississippi uses income trusts for nursing home and home and community-based care; the Division posts trust documents and help sheets as Appendices A-8 and A-9.

The Healthier Mississippi Waiver fact sheet (opens in a new tab) adds a limit you won't see on the income chart: enrollment is capped at 6,000 people, and when it's full, the waiver closes to new enrollees until a slot opens.

Our SSI income limits guide and SSI benefits guide explain the federal SSI side.

Mississippi and Medicaid Expansion: The Adult Coverage Gap

Mississippi is one of 10 states that haven't adopted the ACA expansion, according to KFF's tracker dated October 16, 2026. An adult in an expansion state qualifies up to 138% of poverty, about $1,835 a month for one person. In Mississippi, a childless adult without a disability at that income gets no Medicaid at all.

HealthCare.gov's explanation of the gap (opens in a new tab) says adults in non-expansion states with income under 100% of poverty who don't qualify for Medicaid "fall into a gap," because Marketplace savings start at 100%. For a single Mississippian in 2026, that's anyone under $1,330 a month.

Grantsights calculation from the Division's March 2026 chart, Appendix A-1 and the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines ($15,960 for one, $27,320 for three). Hourly figures assume 4.33 weeks a month.

2026 federal changes and Mississippi: the community engagement rule in the Federal Register of June 3, 2026 (opens in a new tab), which states must start by January 1, 2027, applies to the ACA expansion adult group; Mississippi doesn't have one, so current members aren't affected. CMS's SHO letter #26-001 (opens in a new tab) ends federal matching funds for full Medicaid and CHIP for some qualified noncitizens, including refugees and asylees, from October 1, 2026, while emergency Medicaid continues. Grantsights didn't find a Mississippi consumer notice on that change.

Options for adults in the gap

• Family Planning Waiver: family planning services for people 13 to 44 up to the pregnancy line ($2,648 a month for one person).
• Healthier Mississippi Waiver: only for people 65 or older or with an SSI-level disability, without Medicare, and only when enrollment is under 6,000.
• Community health centers: sliding-fee care through clinics listed in HRSA's health center finder (opens in a new tab).

Worked Examples: Mississippi Households in 2026

For example, a family of three in Mississippi earning $3,300 a month (a mother in Hattiesburg with a 4-year-old and a 9-year-old, no other insurance) comes out like this:

1. The 4-year-old: the ages 1 to 5 limit for three is $3,370, so he stays on Medicaid.
2. The 9-year-old: the ages 6 to 18 limit is $3,142, so she's $158 over. The Division then checks CHIP, where the limit is $4,873, and she qualifies for CHIP.
3. Mom: the parent line for three is $498. At about 145% of poverty ($3,300 divided by $2,277), she's a Marketplace buyer with a premium tax credit.

A pregnant 17-year-old in Jackson living with her parents is checked against the pregnancy line using the household MAGI rules. Pregnant women of any age use the 194% line, and Chapter 101 keeps her covered through the 12-month postpartum period before the Division reviews her again.

One retiree in Tupelo, a 70-year-old with $1,600 a month in Social Security and $15,000 in savings, is over the $994 SSI line and can't use the Healthier Mississippi Waiver because she has Medicare. She's under the SLMB pamphlet line of $1,646, so Medicaid would pay her Part B premium, and her savings don't matter because there's no resource test.

One couple in Greenville facing a nursing home stay for the husband: his $2,400 a month is under the $2,982 limit, but their $40,000 in savings is over his $4,000 limit. Spousal impoverishment rules protect a share of the couple's resources for his wife, up to the $162,660 maximum, so the $40,000 alone may not block him.

What the Mississippi Division of Medicaid Doesn't Tell You About These Limits

Grantsights analysis of the Division's March 2026 income chart and its Appendix A charts found 5 points that aren't obvious from the documents:

1. A parent's line is a fraction of the child's. At $498 a month for three, the parent limit is about 22% of poverty ($498 divided by $2,277). The same family's 9-year-old stays on Medicaid up to $3,142 (6.3 times as much), on CHIP up to $4,873 (9.8 times), and a pregnant mother qualifies up to $4,531.
2. Part-time work at minimum wage can disqualify a parent. Specifically, twenty hours a week at $7.25 is about $628 a month, which is $130 over the parent line for a family of three.
3. Mississippi's senior resource rules are better than the SSI rules. SSI allows $2,000, but nursing home Medicaid allows $4,000, and Medicare Savings Programs have no resource test at all. Many seniors who'd never pass SSI still qualify for something.
4. CHIP repayment is a real risk. The reporting pamphlet warns that if a child gains other health insurance and it isn't reported within 10 days, the family may have to repay the premiums the Division paid to the CHIP plan, even if the child never saw a doctor.
5. Many old links are dead. When Grantsights checked on November 3, 2026, the Division's regular website was replaced by a temporary site because of an outage at its web-hosting vendor, and several older chart links returned "Page not found." The links in this guide go to the documents posted on the temporary site.

Common Mistakes and Red Flags

A common mistake is reading the parent line as the family's line. The $498 figure for three applies to the parent; the children have their own, much higher limits.

Other problems to watch for:

• Assuming a teen's 18th birthday ends the parent's eligibility only. The parent group needs a dependent child under 18, so a parent whose youngest turns 18 can lose that coverage even while the teen keeps children's Medicaid until 19.
• Skipping CHIP because of insurance confusion. Only uninsured children qualify for CHIP, but dental-only or vision-only plans don't count against eligibility; they just have to be reported.
• Underestimating the Medicare Savings Programs. A senior over the SSI line may still have Part B paid through QMB, SLMB or QI.
• Missing a 10-day report. Unreported changes can lead to repaying managed care fees, according to the reporting pamphlet.
• Forgetting the unborn baby. A pregnant woman living alone uses the household-of-two line, $3,589.

Red flags for scams: a Mississippi Medicaid or CHIP application is free. A website, caller or text that charges to apply, guarantees approval, or wants your Social Security number to "hold a slot" in the Healthier Mississippi Waiver isn't the Division of Medicaid. Real applications go through the state's ACCESS portal, a Medicaid Regional Office, or the member line at 1-800-421-2408.

How to Apply for Mississippi Medicaid or CHIP and How Long It Takes

The Division must decide most applications within 45 days, or 90 days when a disability decision is needed first, according to section 101.07.03 of the Eligibility Policy and Procedures Manual. That matches the federal rule at 42 CFR 435.912 (opens in a new tab).

1. Apply online through ACCESS Mississippi (opens in a new tab), or call or visit a Medicaid Regional Office for a paper application. The member line is 1-800-421-2408.
2. For Medicare Savings Programs, you can also apply at a Social Security office or through SSA's Extra Help application, per the Division's cost-sharing pamphlet.
3. Have ready: income proof, Social Security numbers, immigration documents if they apply, and details of any other health insurance.
4. Pregnant? Ask a qualified provider about presumptive eligibility for pregnant women (PEP), described in section 101.05.07, which can start coverage before the full decision.
5. SLMB and QI can reach back up to 3 months before the application month; QMB starts the month after approval, with no retroactive months.

After approval, many members are enrolled in MississippiCAN, the Division's managed care program.

What to Do If You're Denied

You must ask for a local or state hearing before 30 days from the mailing date on your notice, according to the Division's Eligibility Hearings pamphlet (revised February 2026). The deadline can be extended if you show good cause.

• Keep coverage during the appeal: a person already on Medicaid or CHIP keeps coverage if the hearing request comes within 15 days of the notice's mailing date. If the Division wins, it can recover benefits paid during the appeal.
• How to ask: in person, by mail, by phone or electronically, through the Regional Office on your notice.
• Hearings are by phone unless the hearing officer decides an in-person hearing is needed.
• Check the math: ask which household size, income and coverage group the Division used.

If You're Over the Mississippi Medicaid Limit

$15,960 to $63,840 a year is where a single Mississippian can get a premium tax credit for a Marketplace plan in 2026 (100% to 400% of poverty), and that's the main route for adults over the Medicaid lines. Also look at:

• Medicare: at 65 or after 24 months of Social Security disability, plus QMB, SLMB or QI with no resource test.
• WIC: nutrition help for Mississippi moms-to-be, new mothers and kids under 5 is covered in our WIC income limits guide.
• Food help: our Mississippi food stamps guide and SNAP income limits guide.
• Help beyond Medicaid for older or disabled Mississippians: see our help for seniors programs guide and disability grants for individuals guide.
• The HHS numbers behind every percentage: our federal poverty guidelines guide.
• Neighboring states: compare Mississippi with Alabama's Medicaid limits or Louisiana's, an expansion state, or non-expansion Texas.

Also need help with groceries, rent or power bills? Grantsights' free eligibility checker can point you toward official programs to research. It can't tell you whether you qualify for Mississippi Medicaid or submit an application; the Division of Medicaid decides.

When These Limits Change Next

Mississippi's poverty-based limits changed on March 1, 2026, about six weeks after HHS ASPE posted the 2026 poverty guidelines (opens in a new tab), which set 100% of poverty at $15,960 for one person and $27,320 for three. Appendix A-1 already has columns waiting for January 1, 2027 and March 1, 2027, so expect the next family chart in March 2027.

SSI-based figures (the $994 SSI rate and the $2,982 institutional limit) change each January 1. The Medicare Savings Program and Healthier Mississippi Waiver figures follow the March poverty update.

FAQ: Mississippi Medicaid Income Limits

What is the income limit for Medicaid in Mississippi in 2026?

For three people: $3,142 for kids 6 to 18, $3,370 for ages 1 to 5, $4,531 for babies and pregnancy, and $498 for a parent.

Did Mississippi expand Medicaid?

No. A Mississippi adult with no dependent child, no pregnancy and no disability has no full-Medicaid group.

What is the CHIP income limit?

$4,873 a month for a family of three, for uninsured children under 19.

What is the pregnancy income limit?

$3,589 a month for two and $4,531 for three, counting the unborn baby.

Can a single adult get Medicaid in Mississippi?

Rarely; the Healthier Mississippi Waiver covers some older or disabled adults without Medicare up to $1,796 a month.

What is the nursing home income limit?

Mississippi's institutional cap is $2,982 a month, and a single resident can keep up to $4,000 in resources.

Does Mississippi count savings for QMB, SLMB or QI?

No. Mississippi has no resource test for QMB, SLMB or QI.

When do the limits change?

Poverty-based limits each March 1; SSI-based limits each January 1.

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Sources

1. Mississippi Division of Medicaid: Income Limits for Medicaid & CHIP Programs (opens in a new tab), effective March 1, 2026
2. Eligibility Manual Appendix A-1: Chart of ABD At-Home Need Standards and Resource Limits (opens in a new tab), revised March 1, 2026
3. Eligibility Manual Appendix A-2: Chart of Institutional Limits and Transfer of Assets Divisors (opens in a new tab), revised July 1, 2026
4. Eligibility Manual Chapter 101: Coverage Groups and Processing Applications and Reviews (opens in a new tab), revised July 2025
5. Division of Medicaid: Medicare Cost-Sharing pamphlet (opens in a new tab), revised March 1, 2026
6. Division of Medicaid: Healthier Mississippi Waiver Fact Sheet 2026 (opens in a new tab) and Working Disabled guide 2026 (opens in a new tab)
7. Division of Medicaid: Eligibility Hearings pamphlet (opens in a new tab) and Medicaid and CHIP Reporting Requirements (opens in a new tab)
8. Medicaid.gov table of Medicaid and CHIP eligibility levels (opens in a new tab) (Mississippi row, as of December 1, 2023)
9. CMS: SHO #26-001, Implementation of Section 71109 (opens in a new tab)
10. Federal Register, June 3, 2026: community engagement interim final rule (opens in a new tab)
11. 42 CFR 435.603 on the eCFR (MAGI household rules) (opens in a new tab) and 42 CFR 435.912 (decision deadlines) (opens in a new tab)
12. HHS ASPE: 2026 Poverty Guidelines (opens in a new tab)
13. HealthCare.gov's explainer on Medicaid expansion (opens in a new tab)
14. HRSA: Find a Health Center (opens in a new tab)
15. KFF Medicaid expansion tracker (opens in a new tab) (non-government; 41 adopting states and 10 not, as of October 16, 2026)