You likely qualify for Medicaid in Nevada if your household income is at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level — roughly $22,025 a year for a single person in 2026 — and you live in Nevada as a U.S. citizen or qualifying immigrant. Nevada expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, so most adults under 65 can qualify on income alone, without needing to be a parent, elderly, or disabled. Pregnant women, children, and people seeking long-term care follow different rules.
Income Limits by Household Size
Nevada measures eligibility for most applicants using Modified Adjusted Gross Income, which looks at your gross taxable income and your tax-filing relationships, not your take-home pay. At 138 percent of the 2026 federal poverty level, the approximate ceilings are:
- 1 person: $22,025
- 4 people: $45,540
These numbers come from the federal poverty guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.1HealthCare.gov. Federal Poverty Level (FPL) – Glossary Household size is based on who appears on a single tax return, not everyone living in the home. A roommate who is not your spouse or tax dependent does not count, so if you file alone, your household size is one and only your income is measured.
Every source of income is included: wages, self-employment earnings, Social Security benefits, alimony, and investment income. Leaving income off the application can produce a wrong decision now and a demand to repay benefits later.
Higher Limits for Pregnant Women and Children
Pregnant women qualify at up to 165 percent of the federal poverty level, and the unborn child counts as a household member when the state calculates family size.2Division of Welfare and Supportive Services. B-100 MAGI Medical Categories That combination can push the income cutoff noticeably higher than the standard adult limit.
Children have their own tiers. From birth through age five, a child qualifies at household income up to roughly 165 percent of the federal poverty level; from six through eighteen, the ceiling is 138 percent.3Medicaid.gov. Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Basic Health Program Eligibility Levels If your household earns too much for children’s Medicaid but stays within 200 percent of the federal poverty level, your children may qualify for Nevada Check Up, the state Children’s Health Insurance Program. Nevada Check Up charges one quarterly premium per family of $25, $50, or $80 based on income, rather than a premium per child.4State of Nevada Division of Social Services. Nevada Check Up
Pregnant women and children under 19 who need care immediately can get presumptive eligibility from certain hospitals, which provides temporary Medicaid while the full application is processed.5Nevada Department of Human Services (DSS). Application for Presumptive Eligibility for Medicaid Presumptive coverage tied to pregnancy pays for outpatient visits but not inpatient hospital stays, and it ends after the month following approval, so the full application still needs to go in quickly.
Residency, Citizenship, and Social Security Number
You must physically live in Nevada and intend to stay permanently or indefinitely. A utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement normally proves residency. People experiencing homelessness still qualify as long as they are physically in Nevada and not claiming residence in another state.
You also need to show U.S. citizenship or a qualifying immigration status, and each applicant must provide a Social Security number or proof of application for one. The narrow exceptions are people who are not eligible for an SSN, people who can only get one for non-work reasons, and people with religious objections.6Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services. General Eligibility Requirements
Legal permanent residents who entered the United States on or after August 22, 1996 generally wait five years before they can receive federally funded Medicaid. Refugees, asylees, and certain trafficking survivors are exempt. Pregnant legal permanent residents can receive full coverage during pregnancy and for 12 months postpartum regardless of when they entered the country.
Categorical Rules
Some pathways add non-income requirements. To qualify as a parent or caretaker relative, you must live with a dependent child under 18; Nevada’s definition of caretaker relative extends to any adult the child lives with who takes primary responsibility for the child’s care, not only biological parents.7Nevada Division of Health Care Financing and Policy. Eligibility Groups Mandatory Coverage Parents and Other Caretaker Relatives Qualifying based on a disability requires a formal medical review that takes longer to complete.
When Assets Count
If you qualify under the Medicaid expansion group — most adults under 65 with income at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level — Nevada does not count your assets at all. Savings, a car, and a home do not affect eligibility; the decision rests on income.8DWSS (Division of Welfare and Supportive Services). E-400 Types of Resources
Asset tests do apply to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled category and to people seeking long-term care. Countable resources — bank accounts, stocks, secondary real estate — cannot exceed $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a married couple.8DWSS (Division of Welfare and Supportive Services). E-400 Types of Resources Your primary residence and one vehicle used for daily transportation are generally excluded.
Married couples get added protection when one spouse needs long-term care. The spouse who stays at home can keep a share of the couple’s combined assets. For 2026, this protected amount ranges from $32,532 to $162,660 depending on the couple’s total countable resources, and the at-home spouse also receives a monthly income allowance.9Medicaid.gov. January 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards
For long-term care applicants, the state also reviews whether you gave away or sold assets below fair market value during the 60 months before applying. A disqualifying transfer triggers a penalty period during which Medicaid will not pay for nursing home or home-based waiver services, even though other Medicaid benefits continue.10Division of Welfare and Supportive Services. F-400 Transfer of Assets
How to Apply and What to Bring
Pull together these documents for every household member who appears on your tax return:
- Government-issued photo ID and Social Security numbers
- A current utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement showing a Nevada address
- Recent pay stubs, tax returns, or benefit award letters from Social Security or unemployment
- If you are self-employed, business records or tax returns covering the 30 to 60 days before you apply11Department of Human Services – DSS. Notice of Required Verification
The paper form is the 2905-EG Application for Assistance, posted on the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services website.12Division of Social Services. DWSS Applications and Forms You can apply:
- Online through the Access Nevada portal at accessnevada.dwss.nv.gov, which gives you an immediate tracking number
- In person at a local Division of Welfare and Supportive Services office
- By mail to your nearest district office
- By phone at 800-992-0900
Free interpreters and translated materials are available if English is not your first language.13Division of Health Care Financing and Policy. Nevada Medicaid Language Access Plan Listing monthly expenses such as childcare or court-ordered child support can lower the income counted against you, so fill in those sections rather than leaving them blank.
Federal law gives the state 45 calendar days to decide most applications and 90 days when disability is the basis.14eCFR. 42 CFR 435.912 – Timely Determination and Redetermination of Eligibility If the caseworker asks for more documents, you get at least 10 days to respond; missing that window can lead to a denial.15Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services. Chapter 5 – Income and Eligibility Verifications
If medical bills piled up before you applied, Nevada Medicaid can cover expenses from up to three months before your application date, as long as you would have qualified during those months.16Nevada Medicaid. Billing Manual – Recipient Eligibility and Authorization Nevada Check Up does not offer this retroactive coverage.
If You Are Denied
A denial is not the final word. You can request a fair hearing within 90 calendar days of the date on your Notice of Decision.17DHCFP. Requesting a Fair Hearing If you already have benefits and want them to continue during the appeal, you must ask within 10 days of the action date on the notice, not the date it arrived in your mailbox.
At the hearing you can present evidence, bring witnesses, and have a representative such as a friend, family member, or attorney. Nevada Legal Services, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, and the Nevada Disability Advocacy and Law Center may offer free help to eligible applicants.