Alaska Medicaid Income Limits
Updated August 2026
Alaska's eligibility structure reflects both ACA expansion and the state's unique cost-of-living adjusted FPL. Denali KidCare uses two children's tiers depending on whether the child already has other health insurance. Figures below are from the Division of Public Assistance's official Medicaid Standards chart.
Alaska uses higher Federal Poverty Level figures — verify current dollar thresholds with DPA
HHS publishes separate Federal Poverty Level guidelines for Alaska, which are about 25% higher than the 48-state standard. This means that income limits expressed as a given FPL percentage represent higher dollar amounts in Alaska than in other states. Verify the current dollar figures at health.alaska.gov or by calling 800-478-7778.
Alaska Medicaid income limits by coverage group (effective April 1, 2026)
| Coverage group | FPL threshold | Monthly limit (household of 1) | Monthly limit (household of 4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults ages 19–64 (Medicaid Expansion) | 133% FPL | $2,212/mo | $4,572/mo |
| Children with other insurance (Denali KidCare) | 177% FPL | $2,943/mo | $6,085/mo |
| Children without other insurance (Denali KidCare) | 203% FPL | $3,375/mo | $6,979/mo |
| Pregnant women | 225% FPL | n/a (2-person min.) | $7,735/mo |
| Parents/caretaker relatives | COLA-based standard | $1,854/mo | $4,006/mo |
| Former foster care youth | Up to age 25, income-based | MAGI rules apply | MAGI rules apply |
| Aged, blind, or disabled | Non-MAGI rules apply | Separate asset and income limits | Separate asset and income limits |
Adults ages 19–64 (Medicaid Expansion)
- FPL threshold
- 133% FPL
- Monthly limit (household of 1)
- $2,212/mo
- Monthly limit (household of 4)
- $4,572/mo
Children with other insurance (Denali KidCare)
- FPL threshold
- 177% FPL
- Monthly limit (household of 1)
- $2,943/mo
- Monthly limit (household of 4)
- $6,085/mo
Children without other insurance (Denali KidCare)
- FPL threshold
- 203% FPL
- Monthly limit (household of 1)
- $3,375/mo
- Monthly limit (household of 4)
- $6,979/mo
Pregnant women
- FPL threshold
- 225% FPL
- Monthly limit (household of 1)
- n/a (2-person min.)
- Monthly limit (household of 4)
- $7,735/mo
Parents/caretaker relatives
- FPL threshold
- COLA-based standard
- Monthly limit (household of 1)
- $1,854/mo
- Monthly limit (household of 4)
- $4,006/mo
Former foster care youth
- FPL threshold
- Up to age 25, income-based
- Monthly limit (household of 1)
- MAGI rules apply
- Monthly limit (household of 4)
- MAGI rules apply
Aged, blind, or disabled
- FPL threshold
- Non-MAGI rules apply
- Monthly limit (household of 1)
- Separate asset and income limits
- Monthly limit (household of 4)
- Separate asset and income limits
The Alaska FPL difference — why it matters
HHS recognizes that the cost of living in Alaska is substantially higher than the national average, particularly in rural and remote areas where food, fuel, and services cost far more than in the lower 48 states. Congress established a separate Alaska (and Hawaii) FPL schedule decades ago. For the 2026–2027 cycle (effective April 1, 2026), the Alaska single-person FPL is $19,950/year ($1,663/month) — about 25% higher than the 48-state FPL.
In practical terms, a single adult in Alaska qualifies for Medicaid Expansion at a higher monthly income than a single adult in, say, Wyoming or Idaho, because the underlying poverty guideline is higher — not because Alaska applies a different percentage. This is not a policy choice Alaska made — it reflects the federal FPL structure applied to Alaska's recognized cost environment.
Long-term care: income cap and spousal protections
Nursing facility, HCB waiver, and TEFRA coverage use a separate income standard set at $2,982/month for 2026 — the same 300% SSI Federal Benefit Rate cap used by many other states. The Community Spouse Resource Allowance for 2026 is up to $162,660, and the Community Spouse Monthly Income Maintenance Standard is $4,066.50. The nursing home Personal Needs Allowance remains $200/month.
No asset test for MAGI-based Alaska Medicaid
MAGI Medicaid — covering expansion adults, parents and caregivers, children, pregnant women, and former foster care youth — does not use an asset test. Savings, vehicles, and property are not evaluated. Non-MAGI coverage (aged, blind, disabled, and long-term care) does apply asset limits and income rules specific to that group. Contact DPA at 800-478-7778 for non-MAGI eligibility details.
Medicare Savings Programs (QMB) in Alaska
Alaska's Medicare Savings Programs work the same way they do everywhere else — Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) status pays the Part B premium ($202.90/month in 2026), the Part A premium if applicable, and all Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments, while Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) and Qualifying Individual (QI) status pays the Part B premium only. What's different is the income ceiling: because HHS publishes a separate, higher Federal Poverty Level schedule for Alaska to reflect the state's cost of living, the same percentage-of-FPL rule produces noticeably higher dollar thresholds here than in the other 48 states.
| Program | Situation | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|---|
| QMB | Individual | $1,683/mo (Alaska COLA-adjusted) |
| QMB | Married couple | $2,275/mo (Alaska COLA-adjusted) |
| SLMB | Individual | Above the $1,616/mo federal baseline — confirm with DPA |
| SLMB | Married couple | Above the $2,184/mo federal baseline — confirm with DPA |
| QI | Individual | Above the $1,816/mo federal baseline — confirm with DPA |
| QI | Married couple | Above the $2,455/mo federal baseline — confirm with DPA |
QMB
- Situation
- Individual
- Monthly income limit
- $1,683/mo (Alaska COLA-adjusted)
QMB
- Situation
- Married couple
- Monthly income limit
- $2,275/mo (Alaska COLA-adjusted)
SLMB
- Situation
- Individual
- Monthly income limit
- Above the $1,616/mo federal baseline — confirm with DPA
SLMB
- Situation
- Married couple
- Monthly income limit
- Above the $2,184/mo federal baseline — confirm with DPA
QI
- Situation
- Individual
- Monthly income limit
- Above the $1,816/mo federal baseline — confirm with DPA
QI
- Situation
- Married couple
- Monthly income limit
- Above the $2,455/mo federal baseline — confirm with DPA
For 2026, Alaska's QMB income limit is $1,683/month for an individual and $2,275/month for a married couple — well above the $1,350/$1,824 baseline used in most states. SLMB and QI limits follow the same COLA-adjusted pattern and sit above the standard federal figures shown in the table below; contact the Division of Public Assistance for the exact current SLMB and QI thresholds.
Providers cannot bill a QMB enrollee for Medicare cost-sharing under any circumstances — this protection is federal law, not a state courtesy. QMB, SLMB, and QI enrollees are also automatically enrolled in Extra Help, which caps what they pay per covered prescription at $12.65 in 2026.
Alaska's general resource limits for Medicare Savings Programs follow the federal baseline — $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a married couple. Apply through the Alaska Division of Public Assistance (Alaska Medicaid) at health.alaska.gov/dpa or by calling 800-478-7778.
Alaska Medicaid
Visit the official Alaska Medicaid websiteIncome Limits in Nearby States
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