A single adult in Arkansas can qualify for Medicaid through the ARHOME program with monthly income at or below about $1,835 in 2026.1HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States That is the figure most working-age adults need, but the Arkansas Medicaid monthly income limit is not a single number. It changes based on household size and on which category you fit: adult, child, pregnant woman, or aged/blind/disabled. The limits below reflect 2026 federal poverty guidelines.
How Arkansas Counts Your Income
For most applicants (non-elderly adults, children, and pregnant women) Arkansas uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income, or MAGI. MAGI starts with your federal adjusted gross income and adds back tax-exempt interest and any non-taxable Social Security benefits.2Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Income Eligibility Using MAGI Rules It is a monthly snapshot. Assets like savings or a car do not count under MAGI.
Some income is excluded entirely. SSI payments and veterans’ benefits do not count toward MAGI because they are non-taxable and not part of adjusted gross income. Arkansas also applies a built-in 5% FPL disregard: if your income lands just above a category’s base percentage, that disregard effectively raises the cutoff by five percentage points.3Medicaid.gov. With Respect to MAGI Conversion, How Will the 5% Disregard Be Applied All the dollar limits in this article already include that disregard.
Applicants who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled follow a different set of rules that do not use MAGI. Those limits appear further down.
Income Limits for Adults Through ARHOME
Arkansas covers adults ages 19 through 64 under ARHOME. The effective income ceiling is 138% of the federal poverty level, which combines the base 133% standard with the 5% disregard.4Arkansas Department of Human Services. Health Care Eligibility – Quick Reference For 2026, the monthly limits by household size are:1HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
- Household of 1: about $1,835
- Household of 2: about $2,489
- Household of 3: about $3,142
- Household of 4: about $3,795
Income is not the only factor. ARHOME applicants cannot be pregnant at the time of application, cannot be enrolled in or eligible for Medicare, and cannot qualify under the separate Parent/Caretaker Relative Medicaid category.4Arkansas Department of Human Services. Health Care Eligibility – Quick Reference If one of those exclusions applies to you, a different Medicaid category may still fit.
Income Limits for Children Through ARKids First
Children are covered through ARKids First, which has two tiers.5Arkansas Department of Human Services. Overview of Significant Programs for DHS Beneficiaries
ARKids First-A (Full Medicaid)
Children in families with income up to 142% of the FPL qualify for ARKids A, which is full Medicaid with no copays or premiums. The 2026 monthly limits:1HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
- Family of 2: about $2,561
- Family of 3: about $3,233
- Family of 4: about $3,905
ARKids First-B (CHIP)
Families earning too much for ARKids A but under 211% of the FPL can enroll children in ARKids B, which covers the same services with small copays for some care.5Arkansas Department of Human Services. Overview of Significant Programs for DHS Beneficiaries The 2026 monthly limits:1HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
- Family of 2: about $3,803
- Family of 3: about $4,804
- Family of 4: about $5,803
Worth noting: ARKids B limits sit well above the ARHOME adult limits. A parent who personally earns too much for Medicaid may still get the kids covered.
Income Limits for Pregnant Women
Pregnancy carries the highest MAGI-based income threshold in Arkansas. The base standard is 209% of the FPL, which becomes an effective 214% with the 5% disregard.4Arkansas Department of Human Services. Health Care Eligibility – Quick Reference The unborn child counts toward household size, so a single pregnant woman expecting one baby is treated as a household of two.
For a household of two in 2026, 214% of the FPL comes to roughly $3,859 per month.1HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States Twins or more add to the household count and push the limit higher still.
Income Limits for Aged, Blind, or Disabled Residents
If you are 65 or older, blind, or disabled, eligibility is based on both monthly income and countable assets rather than MAGI.4Arkansas Department of Human Services. Health Care Eligibility – Quick Reference
Income Limit
The monthly income cap is tied to the federal SSI payment standard. For 2026, that is $994 for an individual and $1,491 for a couple.6Social Security Administration. How Much You Could Get From SSI
Asset Limit
Countable resources cannot exceed $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple.7Social Security Administration. 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Fact Sheet Countable resources include cash, bank balances, stocks, bonds, real property other than your primary home, and life insurance policies with a cash surrender value above $1,500.4Arkansas Department of Human Services. Health Care Eligibility – Quick Reference Your home, one vehicle, household furnishings, and up to $1,500 per person in revocable burial funds are generally exempt.
Automatic Eligibility Through SSI
If you already receive Supplemental Security Income, you do not need to pass a separate Medicaid income test. SSI recipients in Arkansas automatically qualify for Medicaid.4Arkansas Department of Human Services. Health Care Eligibility – Quick Reference
Long-Term Care Medicaid
Nursing home care and other long-term services and supports (LTSS) use a different income cap. Arkansas sets the LTSS income limit at three times the SSI payment amount for an individual.8Arkansas Department of Human Services. Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Medicaid Assistance For 2026, that is roughly $2,982 per month.
The higher ceiling reflects that nursing home residents turn over nearly all their income toward the cost of care, keeping only a small personal needs allowance. The same $2,000 individual and $3,000 couple asset limits apply. Separate spousal protections exist for income and assets of a non-applicant spouse living in the community.
If Your Income Is Over the Limit: Medically Needy Spend-Down
If your income sits above the standard limit but you have substantial medical expenses, the Medically Needy spend-down program may still get you covered. You subtract qualifying medical bills from your income until the remainder drops to the Medically Needy Income Limit (MNIL).
In Arkansas, the MNIL is $108.33 per month for an individual and $216.66 per month for a couple, with $58.33 added for each additional household member.4Arkansas Department of Human Services. Health Care Eligibility – Quick Reference The gap between your actual income and the MNIL is your spend-down amount. Once accumulated medical bills reach that gap, Medicaid picks up the rest of the eligibility period, typically a three-month span.
Spend-down works best for people with chronic conditions that generate predictable, recurring medical costs. If you are borderline for the aged, blind, or disabled category, ask DHS whether your medical expenses would meet the spend-down threshold.
How to Apply
The fastest route is the online application through the Access Arkansas portal at access.arkansas.gov, which covers Medicaid, SNAP, and Transitional Employment Assistance in a single household application.9Arkansas Department of Human Services. Apply for Services You can also mail a paper application to DHS, visit a county DHS office, or call 1-855-372-1084.
ARHOME applicants who are approved receive retroactive coverage for the 30 days before their application date, so medical expenses from that window may be covered.4Arkansas Department of Human Services. Health Care Eligibility – Quick Reference DHS reviews your income and household size against the limits for whichever category fits and sends the decision by mail.