How to Apply for Medicaid in Indiana: Eligibility, Documents, Renewal

To apply for Medicaid in Indiana, submit an application to the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) online through the state benefits portal, by mail, by fax, or in person at a local Division of Family Resources office. Most adults ages 19 through 64 qualify through the Healthy Indiana Plan if household income falls at or below 138% of the federal poverty level, which works out to roughly $1,836 per month for a single person in 2026. Children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities apply through different programs with their own rules.

Figure Out Which Program Fits You

Indiana Medicaid isn’t a single plan. FSSA runs several programs, and the one you belong in shapes your benefits, your paperwork, and any monthly costs.

The Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) covers adults ages 19 through 64 who aren’t eligible for Medicare or another Medicaid category. It’s Indiana’s expansion program and comes with a POWER Account.
Hoosier Healthwise covers children and pregnant women at higher income thresholds than HIP allows for adults.
Hoosier Care Connect serves people with disabilities and residents age 65 and older, with income and asset rules that differ from the other programs.

Income Limits for 2026

Your household income measured against the federal poverty level (FPL) determines eligibility. For 2026, the annual poverty level is $15,960 for a single person and $33,000 for a family of four.¹

HIP eligibility tops out at 138% of the FPL. The 2026 monthly income limits for HIP are:²

Single person: up to $1,836 per month
Household of two: up to $2,489 per month
Household of three: up to $3,142 per month
Household of four: up to $3,796 per month

Pregnant women can qualify for Hoosier Healthwise with household income up to roughly 208% of the FPL, and children’s thresholds also sit well above the HIP cutoff.³

Asset Rules

HIP and Hoosier Healthwise applicants generally don’t face an asset test. Hoosier Care Connect does apply one: countable assets are limited to $2,000 for a single person or $3,000 for a married couple.³ Bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and investment property count. Your primary home, one vehicle, and personal belongings usually don’t.

Citizenship and Residency

You must live in Indiana with the intent to remain, and you must be a U.S. citizen or a qualified immigrant. Most lawful permanent residents have to wait five years after receiving qualified status before enrolling in full Medicaid, though emergency medical services may be available sooner if income and residency rules are met. You’ll document your status as part of the application.

Gather Your Documents First

Pulling your paperwork together before you start makes the difference between an application that moves and one that stalls. Have these ready:

Social Security numbers for everyone in your household, whether or not they’re applying
Proof of Indiana residency, such as a current utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement
Income verification: pay stubs from the last 30 days, or your most recent tax return if you’re self-employed
Citizenship or immigration documents: a birth certificate, U.S. passport, or immigration paperwork
Asset documentation if you’re applying through Hoosier Care Connect: bank statements, investment statements, and real property information

Household size means you, your spouse, and any tax dependents living with you. Every income source counts: wages, Social Security, child support, unemployment, and self-employment earnings. Leaving out a household member or an income source can trigger a denial or an overpayment claim later that you’ll have to repay.

Submit Your Application

FSSA takes applications through four channels. Use whichever fits your situation.

Online. The FSSA benefits portal is the fastest route. You create an account, enter household and income information, upload images of your documents, and sign electronically. The system gives you a confirmation number as proof of submission.⁴

By mail. Send your completed application and copies of your documents to the FSSA Document Center at P.O. Box 1810, Marion, IN 46952. Certified mail gives you a delivery receipt, which helps if a processing dispute comes up.⁵

By fax. Fax your application to 1-800-403-0864.⁶

In person. Local Division of Family Resources (DFR) offices accept walk-in applications during business hours. Staff can help you use an on-site kiosk or accept paper forms. You’ll get a receipt showing when your materials were accepted.⁷

What Happens After You Apply

Federal law gives Indiana 45 calendar days to process standard Medicaid applications and 90 calendar days for applications based on disability.⁸ The state confirms the timeline as roughly 45 to 90 days depending on the program.⁹

A caseworker may call you during the review to verify information. Answer calls from state numbers. Missing that conversation can stall your case or lead to a denial for incomplete information.

When FSSA makes a decision, you’ll get a Notice of Action letter by mail. If you’re approved, the letter identifies your program, your effective coverage date, and any cost-sharing. Approved members get doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, mental health treatment, dental and vision (in HIP Plus), and non-emergency transportation.¹⁰

POWER Account Payments for HIP Members

If you’re approved for HIP, expect a POWER Account. It functions like a health savings account and covers the first $2,500 in annual healthcare costs. Indiana funds most of that, but you owe a monthly contribution somewhere between $1 and $20 depending on income. Tobacco users pay a surcharge.¹¹

Paying your monthly contribution puts you in HIP Plus, which adds vision, dental, and chiropractic benefits. Miss payments and the consequence depends on your income. If your income is at or below the poverty level, you’re downgraded to HIP Basic, which drops those extras and adds copayments. If your income is above the poverty level, you lose coverage entirely.¹¹

If You’re Denied

Your Notice of Action letter will state the reason for denial. The usual causes are income slightly above the threshold, missing documents, or an unreported household member. You can request an administrative hearing to challenge the decision. The request must reach FSSA by close of business no later than 33 calendar days after the effective date of the action, or 33 calendar days from the date on the notice, whichever is later.¹²

An independent officer reviews the evidence at the hearing and decides whether the state applied the rules correctly. If the denial came from missing documents, you can submit them at the hearing. You can also file a new application at any time if your income or household changes.

Renew Every Year to Keep Coverage

Approval isn’t the end of the process. Federal regulations require states to renew Medicaid eligibility at least once every 12 months.¹³ Indiana mails a renewal notice when it’s time, and you have 45 days from receiving it to complete redetermination online, by mail, by fax, or at a DFR office.¹⁴

Ignoring the notice can cost you coverage even if you’re still eligible. Watch your mail. If you move, update your address with FSSA immediately. Report significant changes to income or family size between renewals as well.

Special Situations

Pregnant and Need Care Now

If you’re pregnant, you don’t have to wait for a full application to be processed before seeing a doctor. Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women (PEPW) provides temporary coverage for prenatal visits and outpatient care starting the day you submit a PEPW application, as long as you’re a U.S. citizen or qualified immigrant, live in Indiana, and meet the income threshold.¹⁵

PEPW is a bridge, not permanent coverage. You need to submit a full Indiana Application for Health Coverage by the last day of the month following the month your PEPW coverage started, or the temporary coverage ends.¹⁵

Applying for Nursing Home or Long-Term Care Coverage

Long-term care Medicaid carries a separate set of rules. Federal law requires states to review asset transfers you’ve made during the 60 months before your application date.¹⁶ If you gave away assets or sold them for less than fair market value in that window, the state imposes a penalty period during which you’re ineligible. The length is calculated by dividing the transferred value by the average monthly cost of nursing home care in Indiana, with no cap on how long the penalty can last.

Some transfers are exempt, including transfers to a spouse, transfers of a home to a blind or disabled child, and transfers to a trust for the sole benefit of a disabled individual under 65. If long-term care is on the horizon, understand these rules before you need to apply.

Estate Recovery After a Recipient’s Death

Indiana is required by federal law to seek repayment from the estates of certain deceased Medicaid recipients. The state’s Estate Recovery Program targets the total Medicaid paid on behalf of recipients after age 55. Assets subject to recovery include real property (including property transferred through joint tenancy with right of survivorship if the joint tenancy was created after June 30, 2002), bank accounts regardless of payable-on-death designations, funds in a qualified income trust, and annuities purchased after May 1, 2005.¹⁷

Indiana cannot pursue recovery if you’re survived by a spouse, a child under 21, or a child who is blind or disabled. Life insurance proceeds paid to a named beneficiary and assets protected by an Indiana Partnership Long Term Care Insurance Policy are also exempt.¹⁷ The state must grant hardship waivers when recovery would cause substantial hardship to surviving family.¹⁸

1
HealthCare.gov. Federal Poverty Level (FPL) – Glossary
2
IN.gov. Federal Poverty Level Income Chart – FSSA: HIP
3
IN.gov. Indiana Medicaid Members Eligibility Guide
4
IN.gov. Indiana Medicaid Members Home
5
IN.gov. FSSA DFR Contact DFR
6
IN.gov. Indiana Medicaid
7
IN.gov. FSSA DFR Programs and Services
8
eCFR. 42 CFR 435.912 – Timely Determination and Redetermination of Eligibility
9
Indiana State Government. How Long Will It Take Someone to Get the Indiana Health Coverage Programs
10
IN.gov. What Is Covered by Indiana Medicaid
11
IN.gov. POWER Accounts – FSSA: HIP
12
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Administrative Code 405 IN Admin Code 1-3 – Section: Filing an Appeal, Scheduling Appeals
13
Medicaid.gov. Overview: Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility Renewals
14
IN.gov. Medicaid Redetermination: Helpful Guide for Caregivers
15
IN.gov. Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women
16
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 U.S. Code 1396p – Liens, Adjustments and Recoveries
17
IN.gov. Medicaid Estate Recovery
18
Medicaid.gov. Estate Recovery