Medicaid Office

Maryland Medicaid Income Limits

Updated August 2026

Maryland uses MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) rules for most coverage groups. MAGI counts wages, self-employment income, Social Security, and most other taxable income. There is no asset test for MAGI-based Maryland Medicaid. Seniors and individuals applying based on disability or long-term care use separate non-MAGI rules with asset tests. Figures below reflect the Maryland Department of Health's official income limits chart, effective February 1, 2026.

Maryland's income limits for children and pregnant women are among the highest nationally

Maryland covers children up to approximately 322% FPL and pregnant women up to approximately 264% FPL. These are well above most states. Verify current figures through Maryland Department of Health's income limits page or call 1-855-642-8572.

Maryland Medicaid income limits by coverage group (2026)

Adults 19–64 (ACA expansion)

FPL %
138% FPL
Annual limit (household of 1)
$22,020/yr
Annual limit (household of 4)
$45,540/yr

Children (Maryland Children's Health Program)

FPL %
~322% FPL
Annual limit (household of 1)
$51,396/yr
Annual limit (household of 4)
$106,260/yr

Pregnant women

FPL %
~264% FPL
Annual limit (household of 1)
N/A (min. household of 2)
Annual limit (household of 4)
$87,120/yr

Employed Individuals with Disabilities (EID)

FPL %
No income cap
Annual limit (household of 1)
Sliding-scale premium instead of an income limit
Annual limit (household of 4)
—

Seniors and disabled (non-MAGI)

FPL %
Separate rules
Annual limit (household of 1)
Varies
Annual limit (household of 4)
N/A

No asset test for most Maryland Medicaid

MAGI-based Maryland Medical Assistance — covering adults, children, and pregnant women — has no asset test. Savings, retirement accounts, vehicles, and home equity do not count against eligibility. This is the same rule across all ACA expansion states.

Individuals applying based on age (65+), blindness, or disability use non-MAGI rules that include both income and asset tests. Maryland's asset limit for a single individual in the non-MAGI category is generally $2,500. For a couple, the limit is generally $3,000. These figures are set by state regulations and can change — verify current amounts with the Maryland Department of Health.

The EID (Employed Individuals with Disabilities) program has no maximum income limit. Instead, participants pay a monthly premium on a sliding scale based on income — from $0/month for individual income under $15,960/year up to 7.5% of monthly countable income for individual income above $95,760/year (effective January 1, 2026). EID does have an asset limit of $10,000 for a single applicant. This makes EID available to working adults with disabilities who would otherwise earn too much for standard Medicaid.

Maryland Children's Health Program: about 322% FPL for children

Maryland's income limit for the Maryland Children's Health Program (MCHP) — approximately 322% FPL — is among the highest in the country. At this threshold, a family of four with annual income under approximately $106,260 qualifies for publicly funded health coverage for their children. The program provides comprehensive benefits equivalent to full Medicaid — not the scaled-back benefits found in some CHIP programs.

MCHP is funded through a combination of federal Medicaid and CHIP dollars. There are no monthly premiums for children below 200% FPL. For children between 200% and the top limit of about 322% FPL, nominal premiums may apply depending on income. Apply through marylandhealthconnection.gov — the same application covers MCHP and adult Medicaid.

Medicare Savings Programs (QMB) in Maryland

Maryland's Medicaid income limits for children and pregnant women rank among the most generous in the country, but the rules flip entirely for Medicare beneficiaries who need help affording their premiums and cost-sharing. Three federal Medicare Savings Programs — Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), and Qualifying Individual (QI) — use their own fixed monthly income and resource tests, set far below the FPL percentages used for MAGI-based Maryland Medicaid.

QMB

Situation
Individual
Monthly income limit
$1,350/mo

QMB

Situation
Married couple
Monthly income limit
$1,824/mo

SLMB

Situation
Individual
Monthly income limit
$1,616/mo

SLMB

Situation
Married couple
Monthly income limit
$2,184/mo

QI

Situation
Individual
Monthly income limit
$1,816/mo

QI

Situation
Married couple
Monthly income limit
$2,455/mo

QMB is the broadest of the three: it pays the Medicare Part B premium ($202.90/month in 2026), the Part A premium for anyone who owes one, and every Medicare deductible, coinsurance amount, and copayment. Federal law prohibits any provider who accepts Medicare from billing a QMB enrollee for that cost-sharing, regardless of whether the provider also takes Medicaid. SLMB and QI are narrower — both cover only the Part B premium, with no help toward deductibles or coinsurance.

All three programs are administered by Maryland Medicaid, not by Medicare itself. Apply through the Maryland Department of Health at mmcp.health.maryland.gov, the same agency that runs the rest of Maryland Medicaid. QI operates on a capped annual federal allotment awarded first-come, first-served, so anyone approved must reapply every year. QMB, SLMB, and QI enrollees are also automatically enrolled in Extra Help, the Medicare Part D subsidy that limits 2026 covered-drug costs to no more than $12.65 per prescription.

Maryland Medicaid

  • Income and Asset Limits by Coverage Group — Maryland Department of Health: https://health.maryland.gov/mmcp/eligibility/Pages/incomelimits.aspx
Visit the official Maryland Medicaid website

Income Limits in Nearby States

Mississippi North Carolina Oklahoma South Carolina Tennessee

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