For most adults in Missouri in 2026, the monthly income limit for Medicaid is about $1,835 for a single person, which equals 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level after a built-in 5 percent income disregard. That figure covers the expansion population — adults ages 19 through 64 — but Missouri’s MO HealthNet program sets different limits for children, pregnant women, seniors, people with disabilities, and parents, and some of those categories also look at your assets. The right number for you depends on which category you fall into and how many people are in your household.
Monthly Income Limits for Adults
Missouri voters approved Medicaid expansion in 2020, opening MO HealthNet to adults ages 19 through 64 regardless of whether they have children or a disability. The state’s official cap is 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, but federal rules add a 5 percent income disregard under the Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) methodology, so the effective ceiling is 138 percent of the FPL.1eCFR. 42 CFR 435.603 – Application of Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI)
Based on the 2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines, the approximate monthly income limits for adults are:2U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines for 48 Contiguous States
- 1 person: $1,835 per month
- 2 people: $2,489 per month
- 3 people: $3,142 per month
- 4 people: $3,795 per month
These dollar figures adjust every year when the federal government publishes updated poverty guidelines, so the exact amounts posted on the Missouri Department of Social Services website may shift slightly during the transition period early in the year.3Missouri Department of Social Services. Benefit Program Income Limits
Income Limit for Pregnant Women
Pregnant women qualify through Missouri’s Show-Me Healthy Babies program at a much higher threshold: 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.3Missouri Department of Social Services. Benefit Program Income Limits Under the 2026 guidelines, that is roughly $3,990 per month for a single-person household and about $6,830 per month for a household of three.2U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines for 48 Contiguous States Coverage runs through pregnancy and into the postpartum period, whether or not the applicant had insurance beforehand.
Income Limits for Children
Missouri covers children through two programs that pick up where each other leaves off. The right one depends on both the child’s age and family income.
MO HealthNet for Kids
Children under age one qualify at 196 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. For children ages one through 18, the cap drops to 148 percent of the FPL.3Missouri Department of Social Services. Benefit Program Income Limits Using the 2026 poverty guidelines, a family of three with children ages one through 18 could earn up to approximately $3,369 per month and still qualify for full MO HealthNet for Kids coverage.
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Families earning above the MO HealthNet for Kids threshold but at or below 300 percent of the FPL may qualify for CHIP. For a family of three in 2026, the upper limit comes out to roughly $6,830 per month.3Missouri Department of Social Services. Benefit Program Income Limits CHIP charges a monthly premium that rises with income. Under the premium chart effective July 2025, a family of three with income above 150 percent of the FPL pays $31 per month; the premium climbs to $102 above 185 percent and $250 above 225 percent of the FPL.4Missouri Department of Social Services. MO HealthNet for Kids – CHIP Premium Chart Effective July 1, 2025
Income and Asset Limits for Seniors and People With Disabilities
If you are 65 or older, blind, or living with a permanent disability, Missouri uses an entirely different set of rules. These applicants do not go through the MAGI methodology.1eCFR. 42 CFR 435.603 – Application of Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) Eligibility depends on both income and countable assets, and the income caps are considerably lower than the expansion limit.
The monthly income limit for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled category is 85 percent of the Federal Poverty Level for aged and disabled applicants, and 100 percent of the FPL for blind applicants. Under the 2026 poverty guidelines, that works out to approximately $1,131 per month for a single aged or disabled person, about $1,330 per month for a blind individual, and roughly $1,533 per month for a married couple in the aged or disabled category.3Missouri Department of Social Services. Benefit Program Income Limits
Resource limits apply too: currently about $6,069 for an individual and $12,138 for a married couple. Missouri excludes certain assets from the count, including your primary home and one vehicle used for transportation.5Missouri Department of Social Services. FSD Prevention of Spousal Impoverishment
The Spend-Down Program for Over-Income Applicants
If your income is slightly above the Aged, Blind, and Disabled limit, you may still get coverage through Missouri’s Spend-Down program. It works like a monthly deductible. You pay a set amount toward medical expenses each month, and once your remaining income falls within the limit, MO HealthNet covers the rest of your care for that month.6Cornell Law School. 13 CSR 40-2.395 – Spend Down Program You can meet your spend-down amount by submitting unpaid or recently paid medical bills to the Family Support Division, or in some cases by paying the amount directly to the agency.
How Missouri Counts Your Income
For adults, parents, pregnant women, and children, Missouri applies the MAGI formula — the same general approach used for federal tax purposes. The state starts with your gross income (what you earn before taxes) and then makes certain adjustments. If you are self-employed, you report your net profit after legitimate business expenses rather than your total revenue.7Missouri Department of Social Services. 1810.000.00 – MO HealthNet for Families (MHF)
Not every dollar you receive counts. Supplemental Security Income payments and certain child support received on behalf of a child are typically excluded. Your household size for Medicaid is based on tax filing relationships rather than who lives under your roof, so a roommate who files taxes separately is generally not part of your Medicaid household.
The Aged, Blind, and Disabled category uses a non-MAGI method that counts income and assets separately, with its own deductions and exclusions. Applicants in that category need to document bank balances, investment accounts, and any property beyond their primary home and one vehicle.
What If You’re Close to the Limit?
If your income lands just over the cap for your category, do not assume you are out. The spend-down option exists for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled category. CHIP picks up children in families earning too much for standard MO HealthNet for Kids. And the limits reset each year when the federal poverty guidelines update, which can bring applicants who were previously over the line back into eligibility.
You can apply through the Family Support Division online at mydss.mo.gov, by phone, by mail using Form IM-1SSL, or in person at a local office. Before applying, pull together pay stubs from the last 30 days, any Social Security award letters, proof of Missouri residency, proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status, and Social Security numbers for everyone in the household who is applying. Aged, Blind, and Disabled applicants should also bring current bank statements and documentation of other countable resources.