A single adult in Louisiana can earn up to roughly $1,835 a month in 2026 and still qualify for Medicaid. That figure is 138% of the federal poverty level, and it’s the cutoff for most adults ages 19 through 64 under Louisiana’s Medicaid expansion. How much you can make to get Medicaid in Louisiana depends on which group you fall into: children, pregnant women, and people who are elderly or disabled each have their own thresholds, and some programs also limit what you can own.
Income Limits for Adults Under 65
Louisiana expanded Medicaid in 2016 to cover adults ages 19 through 64 earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level. That 138% includes a 5% income disregard federal law adds on top of the statutory 133% limit.1Medicaid.gov. With Respect to MAGI Conversion, How Will the 5% Disregard Be Applied Using the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, the monthly income ceilings work out to about:2HealthCare.gov. Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
- Single adult: $1,835
- Household of two: $2,489
- Household of three: $3,142
- Household of four: $3,795
These limits apply to parents, caretaker relatives, and childless adults alike. Income is measured using Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), which tracks closely with the income line on your federal tax return. There is no asset test for this group, so savings, a car, or a house have no bearing on eligibility.
Income Limits for Children and Pregnant Women
Louisiana covers children up to age 19 at much higher income levels than adults. Regular children’s Medicaid reaches families earning up to 217% of the federal poverty level, which for a family of three in 2026 is $4,941 a month. Above that, LaCHIP, the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program, covers kids in families earning up to 255% of the poverty level, or about $5,806 a month for a family of three.3Louisiana Department of Health. Federal Poverty Income Guidelines for Premium Programs – Effective March 1, 2026
Pregnant women qualify with household income up to 138% of the federal poverty level, the same percentage as expansion adults.4Louisiana Department of Health. Federal Poverty Income Guidelines The unborn child counts toward household size, though, which raises the dollar limit. A pregnant woman living alone is counted as a household of two, so her monthly income ceiling is closer to $2,489. Pregnant women, like other MAGI groups, face no asset test.
Income Limits if You Are 65 or Older, Blind, or Disabled
If you’re 65 or older, blind, or disabled, you fall under SSI-related Medicaid rules rather than the expansion group. The thresholds are lower, and this is where assets start to matter.
Regular Medicaid for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled
The income limit tracks the SSI federal benefit rate. In 2026 that rate is $994 a month for an individual and $1,491 a month for a married couple.5Social Security Administration. How Much You Could Get From SSI You don’t have to actually receive SSI to qualify this way, but your income needs to fall inside these limits.
Nursing Home Care and Home and Community-Based Waivers
If you need nursing home care or qualify for a home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver, Louisiana uses a higher threshold called the Special Income Level, set at 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate. For 2026 that’s $2,982 a month for an individual.6Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. January 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards You also have to meet medical need requirements and the asset limits below.
When Assets Also Count
Assets only matter for Medicaid categories that serve people who are elderly, blind, disabled, or seeking long-term care. If you qualify as an expansion adult, a child, or a pregnant woman, Louisiana doesn’t look at your resources at all.
Where assets do count, the limits are low: $2,000 in countable resources for a single applicant, $3,000 for a married couple where both spouses are in the same facility.7Louisiana Department of Health. Long-Term Care FAQ These figures haven’t changed for 2026.6Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. January 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards Several kinds of property don’t count:
- Your primary home, as long as you intend to return or a spouse still lives there. For long-term care applicants, home equity above a federally set cap (roughly $730,000 in 2025, adjusted for inflation) is not exempt.
- One vehicle.
- Personal belongings and household goods.
- Designated burial funds and life insurance policies with a combined face value up to $10,000.
The Medicaid Purchase Plan, which covers working people with disabilities, uses a much higher asset cap of $25,000.8Louisiana Department of Health. Medicaid Purchase Plan
If Your Income Is Over the Limit: The Medically Needy Program
Being over the income limit doesn’t always mean the door is closed. Louisiana runs a Medically Needy Program that lets people with significant medical bills subtract those costs from countable income. If the remainder falls below the Medically Needy threshold, you qualify.9Legal Information Institute. Louisiana Administrative Code Title 50, III-2313 – Medically Needy Program
This is often called a spend-down. It works best for people in nursing homes or receiving intensive home care, where monthly bills easily top $5,000. If you bring in $3,500 a month and your nursing facility charges $7,000, your medical expenses can burn through the excess income until Medicaid starts covering the rest. The Louisiana Department of Health outlines several Medically Needy subcategories, including SSI-related and long-term care groups.10Louisiana Department of Health. Medicaid Eligibility Manual
How Louisiana Counts Your Income
For adults under 65, children, and pregnant women, MAGI is the yardstick. It includes wages, self-employment earnings, Social Security benefits, pensions, IRA withdrawals, and most other taxable income, and it mirrors what you report on a federal tax return. There are no separate deductions for work expenses or child support in the MAGI calculation.
For SSI-related applicants (elderly, blind, or disabled), Louisiana uses a different method that allows certain income deductions and also evaluates assets. Countable resources include cash, bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and real estate other than your home. Louisiana counts an IRA balance as a resource if you can withdraw the money, even when doing so would trigger an early withdrawal penalty; the countable value is what’s left after the penalty is subtracted. Retirement funds tied to current employment that you can’t access without quitting the job are excluded.11Louisiana Department of Health. SSI-Related Resources
Applying and Keeping Coverage
The fastest way to apply is through Louisiana’s online Self-Service Portal at sspweb.lameds.ldh.la.gov, where you can also check status and report changes.12Louisiana Department of Health. Self Service Portal You can also apply by calling Medicaid Customer Service at 1-888-342-6207, by mail, or in person at a local Medicaid office or contracted Application Center.13Louisiana Department of Health. Medicaid FAQ Expect the state to ask for documentation such as pay stubs, tax returns, or bank statements. Long-term care applications, where the asset rules apply, involve substantially heavier paperwork, and many families choose to work with an elder law attorney before filing.
Once you’re on Medicaid, you have to report changes in income, household size, or living situation, because any of these can push you over a limit. The state currently redetermines eligibility once every 12 months.14Louisiana Department of Health. Renewals Beginning with renewals scheduled on or after January 1, 2027, federal law will require states to redetermine expansion-group eligibility every six months instead of yearly.15Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Implementation of Eligibility Redeterminations – Section 71107 of the Working Families Tax Cut Legislation Missing a renewal notice can cost you coverage even if your income still qualifies, so watch for mail from the Louisiana Department of Health.