The Medicaid Income Limit is the most important criteria for deciding whether you qualify for Medicaid in your state. In this post, we are going to explain in detail the Arkansas Medicaid Income Limits for 2021.
Based on this information, you will be able to determine whether your income qualifies you for Arkansas Medicaid or not.
However, before we get into details about the income limit, we will first explain the Medicaid program in Arkansas and how it works.
Next, we will discuss who is eligible for Medicaid, including how eligibility works for various categories, including Children, Pregnant Women, and Adults.
What is Medicaid?
Medicaid is a federal and state health insurance program for people with a low income.
It provides free or low-cost health coverage to millions of Americans, including families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) offers health coverage to children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but who can’t afford private coverage.
How Many People are on Medicaid?
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as of November 2020, here are the number of people enrolled in Medicaid and Chip in the entire United States:
- 78,521,263 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP
- 72,204,587 individuals were enrolled in Medicaid
- 6,695,834 individuals were enrolled in CHIP
Arkansas Medicaid
The Arkansas Medicaid program provides medical coverage to low-income individuals and families.
As of 2020, the program, along with the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) covered 873,761 people.
This includes 388,423 children as shown by the image below.
Medicaid services in Arkansas are administered by the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS).
Specifically, the Division of Medical Services handles the day-to-day management of the Arkansas Medicaid program.
Who Can Get Medicaid in Arkansas?
You should apply for Medicaid if your income is low and you match one of the descriptions below:
- You think you are pregnant
- The parent or caretaker of a child and/or teenager under the age of 19.
- You are a child or teenager age 18 or under.
- An adult age 65 or older.
- You are legally blind.
- Living with a disability or disabled.
- You are in need of nursing home care.
Arkansas Medicaid Income Limit
The Arkansas Medicaid Income Limit is calculated as a percentage of the Federal Poverty Line.
To qualify, you must meet the Arkansas Medicaid Income limits listed below.
Here is the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for 2021.
| 2021 Federal Poverty Levels for the 48 Contiguous States & D.C. | |||
| Household Size | Poverty Guideline for 48 states & DC | Alaska | Hawaii |
| 1 | $12,880 | $16,090 | $14,820 |
| 2 | $17,420 | $21,770 | $20,040 |
| 3 | $21,960 | $27,450 | $25,260 |
| 4 | $26,500 | $33,130 | $30,480 |
| 5 | $31,040 | $38,810 | $35,700 |
| 6 | $35,580 | $44,490 | $40,920 |
| 7 | $40,120 | $50,170 | $46,140 |
| 8 | $44,660 | $55,850 | $51,360 |
| Over 8 people | add $4,540 for each additional person | $5,680 | $5,220 |
Additionally, to be eligible for Medicaid, you cannot make more than the income guidelines outlined below:
- Children up to age 1 with family income up to 142 percent of FPL
- Any child age 1-5 with a family income up to 142 percent of FPL
- Children ages 6- 18 with family income up to 142 percent of FPL
- CHIP for children with family income up to 211 percent of FPL
- Pregnant women with family income up to 209 percent of FPL
- Parents of minor children with family income up to 17 percent of FPL
- Individuals who are elderly, blind, and disabled with family income up to 80% of the FPL
- Adults without dependents under Medicaid expansion with income up to 133% of the FPL
Arkansas Medicaid Income Limit Charts
The Arkansas Medicaid eligibility income limit charts are divided by groups.
For example, the first chart is focused on income limits for children who qualify for Medicaid.
Similarly, the second chart below focuses on the Medicaid income limits for adults in Arkansas who qualify for Medicaid.
Arkansas Medicaid Income Limit for Children
Below is the income limit for children by age category. Find the age category your child falls into and you will see the income limit by household size.
| Arkansas Medicaid Income Limit – Children | ||||||
| Children Medicaid Ages 0-1 | Children Medicaid Ages 1-5 | Children Medicaid Ages 6-18 | Children Separate CHIP | |||
| % FPL | 100% | 142% | 142% | 142% | 211% | |
|
Household Size
|
1 | $12,880 | $18,290 | $18,290 | $18,290 | $27,177 |
| 2 | $17,420 | $24,736 | $24,736 | $24,736 | $36,756 | |
| 3 | $21,960 | $31,183 | $31,183 | $31,183 | $46,336 | |
| 4 | $26,500 | $37,630 | $37,630 | $37,630 | $55,915 | |
| 5 | $31,040 | $44,077 | $44,077 | $44,077 | $65,494 | |
| 6 | $35,580 | $50,524 | $50,524 | $50,524 | $75,074 | |
| 7 | $40,120 | $56,970 | $56,970 | $56,970 | $84,653 | |
| 8 | $44,660 | $63,417 | $63,417 | $63,417 | $94,233 | |
Next is the income limit for adults by category. Find the category you fall into and you will see the income limit by household size.
Arkansas has expanded Medicaid to include adults without dependents.
Therefore, adults without dependents can apply for Medicaid in Arkansas.
For an update on the Medicaid expansion debate and timeline in Arkansas, see our Arkansas Expansion update below.
Arkansas Medicaid Income Limit for Adults
| Arkansas Medicaid Income Limit – Adults | ||||||
| Pregnant Women Medicaid | Adults (Medicaid) Parent/ Caretaker | Seniors & People w/ Disabilities (Medicaid) | Adults (Medicaid) Expansion to Adults | |||
| % FPL | 100% | 209% | 17% | 80% | 133% | |
|
Household Size
|
1 | $12,880 | $26,919 | $2,190 | $10,304 | $17,130 |
| 2 | $17,420 | $36,408 | $2,961 | $13,936 | $23,169 | |
| 3 | $21,960 | $45,896 | $3,733 | $17,568 | $29,207 | |
| 4 | $26,500 | $55,385 | $4,505 | $21,200 | $35,245 | |
| 5 | $31,040 | $64,874 | $5,277 | $24,832 | $41,283 | |
| 6 | $35,580 | $74,362 | $6,049 | $28,464 | $47,321 | |
| 7 | $40,120 | $83,851 | $6,820 | $32,096 | $53,360 | |
| 8 | $44,660 | $93,339 | $7,592 | $35,728 | $59,398 | |
How to Read the Arkansas Medicaid Income Limits Charts Above
You cannot have an income higher than the Federal Poverty Level percentage described for your group to be eligible for Medicaid.
Similarly, when you identify the income group that applies to you, the income limit you see refers to the maximum level of income you can earn to qualify for benefits.
For example, if you are pregnant, to qualify for Medicaid, you cannot have an income higher than 209% of the Federal Poverty Level – which for a family of two is $36,408 as shown in the chart above.
How to Apply for Arkansas Medicaid
There are 3 ways you can apply for Medicaid in Arkansas.
Option 1 – Apply online
You can apply online through the Arkansas ACCESS account (as shown in the image below). If you have an account, you can log in or create your ACCESS Account. Click here to be taken to the website.
Option 2 – Apply at DHS Office Near You
You can apply in person at the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) office near you. Click here to locate a DHS office.
Option 3 – Download Arkansas Food Stamps Application
You can download an application, complete it, and mail it to your county DHS office or submit it in person.
Arkansas Medicaid Phone Number
Here’s how to contact the Arkansas Medicaid Agency:
Arkansas Medicaid Claims Questions Information Line (coverage, bills, beneficiary denial letters, or other services)
Call – 1-800-482-5431
Arkansas Medicaid Complaint Hotline (for complaints about healthcare)
Call – 1-888-987-1200
Arkansas Medicaid Complaint Hotline, Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) (for complaints about healthcare)
Call – 1-800-285-1131
Arkansas Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-6641
For all other phone numbers for the Arkansas Medicaid Agency, click here.
Arkansas Medicaid Expansion Update
The State of Arkansas has accepted Federal expansion Medicaid Expansion.
Arkansas pioneered the “private option” approach to Medicaid expansion.
Enrollment in expanded Medicaid has declined since 2017
Transition to Arkansas Works in 2017
The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) approved a work requirement for Arkansas Medicaid, effective in June 2018
Work requirement verification could initially only be completed online, but a phone hotline was added several months later.
18,000 people had lost coverage by December 2018 as a result of the work requirement
People under the age of 30 were newly-subject to the work requirement as of January 2019.
Arkansas Medicaid Income Limits Summary
We hope this post on Arkansas Medicaid Income Limits was helpful to you.
If you have any questions about Medicaid in the state of Arkansas, you can ask us in the comments section below.
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Be sure to check out our other articles about Medicaid.
Income limits for Florida Medicaid
California Medi-Cal Income Limits Chart