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 Missouri Medicaid Income Limits for 2021. Missouri’s Medicaid program is called MO HealthNet.
Based on this information, you will be able to determine whether your income qualifies you for Missouri Medicaid or not.
However, before we get into details about the income limit, we will first explain the Medicaid program in Missouri 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
Missouri Medicaid
The Missouri 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 about 1 million people.
This includes 623,000 children as shown by the image below.
Medicaid services Missouri is run by the Missouri Department of Social Services Family Support Division.
Who Can Get Medicaid in Missouri?
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.
Missouri Medicaid Income Limit
The Missouri Medicaid Income Limit is calculated as a percentage of the Federal Poverty Line.
To qualify, you must meet the Missouri 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 196 percent of FPL
- Any child age 1-5 with a family income up to 150 percent of FPL
- Children ages 6- 18 with family income up to 150 percent of FPL
- CHIP for children with family income up to 300 percent of FPL
- Pregnant women with family income up to 196 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 87% of the FPL
Missouri Medicaid Income Limit Charts
The Missouri 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 Missouri who qualify for Medicaid.
Missouri 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.
| Missouri Medicaid Income Limit – Children | ||||||
| Children Medicaid Ages 0-1 | Children Medicaid Ages 1-5 | Children Medicaid Ages 6-18 | Children Separate CHIP | |||
| % FPL | 100% | 196% | 150% | 150% | 300% | |
|
Household Size
|
1 | $12,880 | $25,245 | $19,320 | $19,320 | $38,640 |
| 2 | $17,420 | $34,143 | $26,130 | $26,130 | $52,260 | |
| 3 | $21,960 | $43,042 | $32,940 | $32,940 | $65,880 | |
| 4 | $26,500 | $51,940 | $39,750 | $39,750 | $79,500 | |
| 5 | $31,040 | $60,838 | $46,560 | $46,560 | $93,120 | |
| 6 | $35,580 | $69,737 | $53,370 | $53,370 | $106,740 | |
| 7 | $40,120 | $78,635 | $60,180 | $60,180 | $120,360 | |
| 8 | $44,660 | $87,534 | $66,990 | $66,990 | $133,980 | |
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.
Missouri has expanded Medicaid to include adults without dependents.
Therefore, adults without dependents can apply for Medicaid in Missouri starting in the summer of 2021.
For an update on the Medicaid expansion debate and timeline in Missouri, see our Missouri Expansion update below.
Missouri Medicaid Income Limit for Adults
| Missouri Medicaid Income Limit – Adults | ||||||
| Pregnant Women Medicaid | Adults (Medicaid) Parent/ Caretaker | Seniors & People w/ Disabilities (Medicaid) | Adults (Medicaid) Expansion to Adults | |||
| % FPL | 100% | 196% | 17% | 87% | Yes | |
|
Household Size
|
1 | $12,880 | $25,245 | $2,190 | $11,206 | N/A |
| 2 | $17,420 | $34,143 | $2,961 | $15,155 | N/A | |
| 3 | $21,960 | $43,042 | $3,733 | $19,105 | N/A | |
| 4 | $26,500 | $51,940 | $4,505 | $23,055 | N/A | |
| 5 | $31,040 | $60,838 | $5,277 | $27,005 | N/A | |
| 6 | $35,580 | $69,737 | $6,049 | $30,955 | N/A | |
| 7 | $40,120 | $78,635 | $6,820 | $34,904 | N/A | |
| 8 | $44,660 | $87,534 | $7,592 | $38,854 | N/A | |
How to Read the Missouri 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 141% of the Federal Poverty Level – which for a family of two is $24,562 as shown in the chart above.
How to Apply for Missouri Medicaid
There are 3 ways you can apply for Medicaid in Missouri.
Option 1 – Apply online
You can apply online through the Mydss.mo.gov Portal – as shown in the image below.
If you have an account, you can log in or create your Mydss.mo.gov account. Click here to be taken to the website.
The video below from the Missouri DSS does a great job of explaining how to use the myDSS portal to apply for Medicaid online.
We highly recommend that you watch it if you plan to apply for benefits online.
Option 2 – Apply at DSS Office Near You
You can apply in person at the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) office near you. Click here to locate a DSS office.
Option 3 – Download Application
You can download an application, complete it, and:
Mail it to:
Greene County FSD
101 Park Central Square
Springfield MO 65806
Fax: (417) 895-6080
Missouri Medicaid Phone Number
Here’s how to contact the Missouri Medicaid Agency:
PHONE
1-855-FSD-INFO
1-855-373-4636 – Relay Missouri: 711 (Information line if you are hearing and/or speech impaired).
Missouri Medicaid Expansion Update
Voters in Missouri approved a constitutional amendment to expand Medicaid.
That Constitutional amendment to expand Medicaid was approved by voters in the August 2020 election.
The measure calls for the state to submit a Medicaid expansion state plan amendment to the federal government by March 2021, and for Medicaid expansion to take effect by July 1, 2021.
An estimated 230,000 people are expected to be newly eligible for coverage under the expansion of Medicaid in Missouri.
Additionally, coverage will be available to adults up to age 64 if they have an income that doesn’t exceed 138 percent of the poverty level.
Until Medicaid expansion takes effect, there are 113,000 low-income Missouri residents in the coverage gap.
Missouri Medicaid Income Limits Summary
We hope this post on Missouri Medicaid Income Limits was helpful to you.
If you have any questions about Medicaid in the state of Missouri, 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
Montana Medicaid Income Limits Chart