You can file a Maryland Medicaid application for free through Maryland Health Connection at MarylandHealthConnection.gov, by phone, by mail, or in person at a local Department of Social Services office. Most applicants get a decision within 45 days, and if you qualify, coverage can reach back up to three months before your application date to pay unpaid medical bills. The state verifies most information electronically, so many people finish the process without mailing a single document.
Check Whether You Qualify First
Maryland uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income to decide eligibility for most people. The monthly income limits that took effect February 1, 2026 are:
- Adults age 19 to 64: $1,835 for a single person, $2,490 for two, $3,142 for three, $3,795 for four (about 138% of the federal poverty level).
- Children under 19: $4,283 for a household of one, $5,809 for two, $7,332 for three, $8,855 for four (about 322% of the federal poverty level).
- Pregnant women: $4,763 for a household of two, $6,011 for three, $7,260 for four.
You may still qualify if your income slightly exceeds these amounts, because certain deductions reduce countable income.1Maryland Department of Health. Pages – Income Limits If you already receive Supplemental Security Income, you are automatically eligible and do not need to submit a separate application.2Maryland Department of Health. Am I Eligible for Medicaid?
If You’re 65+, Blind, or Disabled
This group applies on a separate non-MAGI track with much stricter financial rules. For 2026, a single applicant can have no more than $350 per month in income and $2,500 in countable assets. For a couple, the limits are $392 per month and $3,000 in assets.1Maryland Department of Health. Pages – Income Limits Countable assets include bank accounts, investments, and some property, but not your primary home (within equity limits) or one vehicle. Applications for this category go through marylandbenefits.gov or a local Department of Social Services office, not Maryland Health Connection.3Maryland Department of Human Services. Medical Assistance
Citizenship and Immigration
Full Medicaid benefits are limited to U.S. citizens and qualified noncitizens.2Maryland Department of Health. Am I Eligible for Medicaid? Most qualified immigrants face a five-year waiting period before they can access federal Medicaid benefits, though Maryland may offer limited emergency Medicaid during that window. Military-connected immigrants, qualified immigrants already on SSI, members of federally recognized Indian tribes, and people continuously present in the U.S. since before August 22, 1996 are exempt from the five-year bar.4Maryland Department of Health. State of Maryland Medical Assistance Manual Section 500 – Non-Financial Eligibility Requirements
Gather Your Documents
The application asks you to verify income, identity, residency, your Social Security number, and citizenship or immigration status.5Maryland Health Connection. What Documents Can I Use to Verify Information in My Application? Pull these together before you start:
- Identity: driver’s license, state ID, or passport.
- Income: pay stubs covering the last 30 days, a W-2, tax return, or an award letter if you receive Social Security, unemployment, or a pension.
- Residency: utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement showing a Maryland address.
- Citizenship or immigration status: U.S. birth certificate, passport, naturalization certificate, or permanent resident card.
- Social Security number for every household member applying.
If you cannot produce a standard document, Maryland Health Connection publishes downloadable affidavits for specific situations, including fluctuating income, self-employment, no income, Social Security income, and residency.5Maryland Health Connection. What Documents Can I Use to Verify Information in My Application? For the aged, blind, or disabled track, you will also need bank statements, vehicle titles, and life insurance policies so the state can measure your resources against the asset limits.
Four Ways to Apply
Online. The fastest route is MarylandHealthConnection.gov. Create an account, then work through screens that ask about each household member’s personal information, income, and current health coverage. The portal skips sections that do not apply to you and flags missing information before you submit.6Maryland Health Connection. How Do I Enroll? You sign electronically and get an on-screen confirmation with your filing date. If the system can verify everything against federal databases, you may not need to upload anything further.
By phone. Call the Maryland Health Connection Consumer Support Center at 1-855-642-8572 and a representative will walk you through the application.7Maryland Health Connection. Home – Maryland Health Connection
By mail. Download the paper application from MarylandHealthConnection.gov, complete it in clear, legible print, and mail it to your local Department of Social Services office.8Maryland Department of Health. How to Apply Attach copies of your supporting documents and never send originals. If the online portal later requests documents, you can mail them to Maryland Health Connection, P.O. Box 249, Lanham, MD 20703.9Maryland Health Connection. Affidavits
In person. Bring a completed application to a local Department of Social Services, local health department, or a hospital social work department.3Maryland Department of Human Services. Medical Assistance Some local offices have secure drop boxes for after-hours submissions.
Whichever route you take, be careful with household composition. For MAGI-based Medicaid, include your spouse if you are married and living together, plus anyone you claim as a tax dependent. The number of people in your household sets the income limit that applies to you.
Having Someone Else Apply for You
If you want a family member, social worker, or attorney to apply on your behalf, you can designate an authorized representative who can sign the application, submit documents, and receive notices about your case. Online applicants can set this up in Maryland Health Connection under “Manage Account Settings.” On paper, download the Authorized Representative Form and mail it to Maryland Health Connection, P.O. Box 249, Lanham, MD 20703. Both you and the representative must sign.10Maryland Health Connection. What Is an Authorized Representative?
Long-term care Medicaid uses a different, broader representative form. A spouse, the parent of a minor, a power of attorney holder, a guardian, or a representative payee does not need to file it because their authority is already recognized.11Maryland Department of Health. Maryland Medical Assistance Program Applicant’s Authorization of Representative
What Happens After You Submit
Most applicants get a decision within 45 days. If you applied on the basis of a disability, the deadline extends to 90 days.12eCFR. 42 CFR 435.912 If electronic verification succeeds, you may be approved without providing anything else. If it does not, the state will send a written request for specific documents with a deadline. Miss that deadline and your application can be closed for non-responsiveness, forcing you to start over. If the income the state finds in its records does not match what you reported, your application will be updated and the type of assistance you receive could change.13Maryland Health Connection. Additional Verification Required Sample Notice
Approval arrives by mail with your coverage start date and instructions for selecting a managed care plan.
Three Months of Retroactive Coverage
Maryland Medicaid can cover medical expenses you incurred during the three months before your application month, as long as you would have met the eligibility rules during that period.14Library of Maryland Regulations. COMAR 10.09.24.11 – Certification Periods If you have unpaid hospital bills or other medical charges from that window, tell your caseworker. This is a strong reason to apply as soon as possible, even if you are unsure you qualify.
If You’re Denied
Your denial notice will state the reason and your appeal rights. The route depends on who issued the decision. For a HealthChoice managed care plan denial, you must first use the plan’s internal appeal process and file within 60 days of the notice, using the contact information on the back of your member ID card. For an initial eligibility denial or any other Medicaid decision, request a fair hearing within 90 days of the date on the notice.15Maryland Department of Health. Medicaid Appeal
You can file a fair hearing request through the Maryland Department of Health’s Medicaid Appeals form, or send a short letter saying you disagree with the notice. Include a copy of the denial. Mail or fax it to:
Maryland Department of Health
Attention: Medicaid Appeals
201 West Preston St., L9
Baltimore, MD 21201
Fax: 410-333-5154
Email: mdh.medicaidappeals@maryland.gov15Maryland Department of Health. Medicaid Appeal
If you already have Medicaid and want it to stay in place during the appeal, file within 10 calendar days of the notice date, the postmark, or the effective date of the action, whichever is later. Miss the 10-day window and your coverage may be cut off until the hearing is decided in your favor.15Maryland Department of Health. Medicaid Appeal
Keeping Your Coverage After Approval
Eligibility is not permanent. The state periodically redetermines whether you still qualify. Maryland first tries to renew your coverage automatically using electronic data from tax records and other government databases. If the state can confirm you still meet the rules, your coverage continues without any action from you.
If the automatic check is inconclusive, a renewal form will arrive by mail. Complete and return it by the printed deadline or your coverage will be terminated. Watch your mail during your renewal month. A missed renewal is one of the most common reasons people lose Medicaid even though they still qualify.
Starting with renewals scheduled on or after January 1, 2027, a new federal law requires states to redetermine eligibility every six months for most adults enrolled through the Medicaid expansion (the group eligible at 138% of the federal poverty level). Those enrollees will go through the renewal process twice a year instead of once. The requirement does not apply to children, pregnant women, or people in the aged, blind, or disabled category.16Medicaid.gov. Implementation of Eligibility Redeterminations – Section 71107