The monthly income limit for Medicaid in Michigan depends on which program you qualify under. In 2026, the cutoffs run from about $1,330 a month for a single senior or person with a disability up to roughly $5,830 a month for a family of four applying for children’s coverage through MIChild. Your age, household size, pregnancy status, and whether you have a disability determine which figure applies to you.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) runs every one of these programs, and each category sets its income cap as a percentage of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), which updates annually.1Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. Medicaid Overview – BEM 105
Healthy Michigan Plan: Adults 19 to 64
The Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) covers adults ages 19 through 64 whose household income sits at or below 133 percent of the FPL. A built-in 5-percentage-point income disregard applies to all MAGI-based groups under the Affordable Care Act, which pushes the effective cap to 138 percent of FPL.2MACPAC. Medicaid Expansion to the New Adult Group3Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. Healthy Michigan Plan – BEM 137 Using 2026 poverty guidelines, the monthly caps are:4U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
- 1 person: $1,835
- 2 people: $2,489
- 3 people: $3,142
- 4 people: $3,795
- 5 people: $4,448
- 6 people: $5,101
You also have to be a Michigan resident, not enrolled in or eligible for Medicare, and not already covered under another Medicaid category.5State of Michigan. Who Is Eligible – Healthy Michigan Plan
Pregnant Women
Pregnant women qualify at a higher cap: 195 percent of the FPL.6Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. Pregnant Women – BEM 125 Each expected child counts toward household size, so a pregnant woman living alone and expecting one baby is a two-person household. Monthly limits at 195 percent of the 2026 FPL work out to roughly:
- 2-person household: $3,517
- 3-person household: $4,440
- 4-person household: $5,363
The 5-percent MAGI disregard also applies here, which can lift the effective threshold slightly higher. Coverage includes prenatal visits, delivery, and postpartum care.
Children: Healthy Kids and MIChild
Children under 19 qualify at income levels well above the adult thresholds, and Michigan uses a tiered system by age:7Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. MIChild – BEM 130
- Infants (birth to age 1): Full Medicaid up to about 195 percent of FPL. MIChild from 196 to 212 percent.
- Ages 1 to 5: Full Medicaid up to about 143 percent of FPL. MIChild from 144 to 212 percent.
- Ages 6 to 18: Healthy Kids (full Medicaid) up to 160 percent of FPL. MIChild from 161 to 212 percent.8Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. Healthy Kids – BEM 131
The overall ceiling across all children’s programs is 212 percent of FPL. For a family of four, that comes to roughly $5,830 per month in 2026. MIChild works like an insurance plan with a small monthly premium, rather than the no-cost coverage you get through full Medicaid at lower income levels.9State of Michigan. Health Care Programs for Children
Seniors, Blind, and Disabled Applicants
Residents who are 65 or older, blind, or living with a disability may qualify under the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (ABD) category, sometimes called Group 2 or AD Care.10Michigan Department of Health & Human Services. Group 2 Aged, Blind and Disabled – BEM 166 This category does not use MAGI. It looks at both income and countable assets.
The income cap is generally set at 100 percent of the FPL. For 2026:
- Individual: $1,330 per month
- Married couple: $1,803 per month
On top of the income test, ABD applicants face asset limits. A single applicant cannot hold more than $2,000 in countable resources, and a couple is capped at $3,000.11Social Security Administration. 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Fact Sheet Countable resources include bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and secondary properties. Your primary home and one vehicle are generally exempt.
Nursing Home and Long-Term Care
Michigan uses a separate income standard for nursing facility and home-and-community-based long-term care coverage. The cap is 300 percent of the SSI Federal Benefit Rate, which comes to $2,982 per month for an individual in 2026.12Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards The $2,000 asset limit for a single applicant still applies.
When one spouse enters a nursing home and the other stays in the community, federal spousal impoverishment protections let the community spouse keep a portion of the couple’s combined assets. For the period covering 2026, that protected share runs from at least $32,532 up to $162,660, depending on the couple’s total resources. The community spouse also has a minimum monthly income allowance of $2,643.75 from July 2025 through June 2026, which can rise to $4,066.50 when housing costs are high. If the community spouse’s own income falls below that floor, part of the institutionalized spouse’s income can be redirected to make up the gap.
How Income and Household Size Are Counted
For adults, pregnant women, and children, Michigan uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). MAGI generally matches what you report on your federal tax return: wages, self-employment income, Social Security benefits, and other taxable income. It does not count child support received, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or certain scholarships. Report gross income (before taxes or deductions), and name everyone in your household accurately, because household size determines which FPL figure applies to you.
The 5-percent MAGI disregard noted above lifts the effective cap for every MAGI-based group. ABD and long-term care applicants use the different income-and-assets method described in their sections.
If You’re Over the Income Limit: The Deductible Pathway
If your income exceeds the limit for your category, you may still qualify through Michigan’s deductible program, previously called spend-down.13State of Michigan. Health Care Programs Eligibility It is open to several groups, including people over 65, individuals with disabilities, pregnant women, caretaker relatives, and adults under 21.
Your deductible equals the difference between your monthly income and the Medicaid income limit for your category. To become eligible for a given budget period, you have to incur medical expenses that match or exceed that deductible. Qualifying expenses include doctor and hospital bills, prescription costs, health insurance premiums (including Medicare premiums), and co-payments. Both paid and unpaid bills from the current period count. Once your medical expenses meet or pass the deductible, Medicaid covers your remaining eligible costs for the rest of that period.
One boundary worth flagging: Healthy Michigan Plan enrollees for the adult expansion group are not among the deductible-eligible categories listed above. If your income exceeds the HMP cap, the deductible route generally will not open HMP to you, though you may qualify under a different category (for example, ABD if you are over 65 or disabled).