Missouri Medicaid Income Limits
Updated August 2026
Missouri uses MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) methodology for most coverage groups. MAGI counts wages, self-employment income, Social Security, unemployment, and most other income sources. The key exception: SSI-related programs and long-term care use non-MAGI rules with separate asset tests. Children's Medicaid is split by age — infants under 1 qualify at a higher threshold than children ages 1–18 — and CHIP extends coverage further for children above the Medicaid threshold. Figures below reflect the Family Support Division's official Benefit Program Income Limits chart, effective April 1, 2026.
Missouri income limits vary significantly by coverage group — children's limits are much higher than adult limits
MO HealthNet covers children up to 300% FPL (through Medicaid and CHIP combined) and most adults up to 138% FPL under the ACA expansion. Parents and caretaker relatives who don't qualify through the expansion group face a much lower legacy limit — around 13% FPL. These are MAGI-based limits for most groups. Verify current thresholds at mydss.mo.gov or call 855-373-4636.
MO HealthNet income limits by coverage group (2026)
| Coverage group | FPL % | Annual limit (household of 1) | Annual limit (household of 4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults 19–64 (ACA expansion) | 133% FPL (~138% with the standard MAGI disregard) | $21,226/yr | $43,890/yr |
| Parents/caretaker relatives (MO HealthNet for Families) | ~13% FPL | $1,692/yr | $4,236/yr |
| Infants under age 1 (MO HealthNet for Kids) | 196% FPL | $31,282/yr | $64,680/yr |
| Children ages 1–18 (MO HealthNet for Kids) | 148% FPL | $23,621/yr | $48,840/yr |
| Children — CHIP (above the Medicaid threshold) | up to 300% FPL | up to $47,880/yr | up to $99,000/yr |
| Pregnant women (MO HealthNet for Pregnant Women) | 196% FPL | $31,282/yr | $64,680/yr |
| Show Me Healthy Babies (CHIP unborn-child option) | 196%–300% FPL | up to $47,880/yr | up to $99,000/yr |
| Seniors and disabled (non-MAGI) | Separate rules | Varies | N/A |
Adults 19–64 (ACA expansion)
- FPL %
- 133% FPL (~138% with the standard MAGI disregard)
- Annual limit (household of 1)
- $21,226/yr
- Annual limit (household of 4)
- $43,890/yr
Parents/caretaker relatives (MO HealthNet for Families)
- FPL %
- ~13% FPL
- Annual limit (household of 1)
- $1,692/yr
- Annual limit (household of 4)
- $4,236/yr
Infants under age 1 (MO HealthNet for Kids)
- FPL %
- 196% FPL
- Annual limit (household of 1)
- $31,282/yr
- Annual limit (household of 4)
- $64,680/yr
Children ages 1–18 (MO HealthNet for Kids)
- FPL %
- 148% FPL
- Annual limit (household of 1)
- $23,621/yr
- Annual limit (household of 4)
- $48,840/yr
Children — CHIP (above the Medicaid threshold)
- FPL %
- up to 300% FPL
- Annual limit (household of 1)
- up to $47,880/yr
- Annual limit (household of 4)
- up to $99,000/yr
Pregnant women (MO HealthNet for Pregnant Women)
- FPL %
- 196% FPL
- Annual limit (household of 1)
- $31,282/yr
- Annual limit (household of 4)
- $64,680/yr
Show Me Healthy Babies (CHIP unborn-child option)
- FPL %
- 196%–300% FPL
- Annual limit (household of 1)
- up to $47,880/yr
- Annual limit (household of 4)
- up to $99,000/yr
Seniors and disabled (non-MAGI)
- FPL %
- Separate rules
- Annual limit (household of 1)
- Varies
- Annual limit (household of 4)
- N/A
Spend Down: qualifying with income above the limit
Missouri offers a Spend Down option for individuals whose income exceeds the standard MO HealthNet limit but who have significant medical expenses. Spend Down works differently from standard Medicaid: once a member's medical bills in a given month reach a dollar threshold (the "spend down amount"), MO HealthNet activates and covers remaining costs for the rest of that month.
Spend Down is available primarily for elderly, blind, and disabled individuals who would otherwise qualify for Medicaid but for their income. Per the MO HealthNet Division's Spend Down FAQ, members must pay or become liable for the spend down amount before MO HealthNet pays anything — including documenting this through bills or receipts.
Spend Down is not available for the expansion adult group (138% FPL adults). It applies under the non-MAGI eligibility rules for aged and disabled populations. Call 855-373-4636 or visit a local Family Support Division Resource Center to determine if you qualify.
No asset test for expansion adults and children
Missouri's MAGI-based MO HealthNet programs — the expansion adult group, children's coverage, and pregnant women — have no asset test. Savings, vehicles, and home equity are not counted. The non-MAGI programs (elderly, blind, disabled, nursing home coverage) use an asset limit of $6,220.50 for a single individual and $12,441 for a married couple, effective 4/1/2026–3/31/2027. Consult a benefits counselor if assets are near this threshold before applying.
Postpartum coverage extended to 12 months
Missouri extended postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months under legislation signed into law in 2023. A woman enrolled in MO HealthNet for Pregnant Women or Show Me Healthy Babies on the date her pregnancy ends now keeps full health coverage for a full year afterward, regardless of income changes during that period.
Medicare Savings Programs (QMB) in Missouri
MO HealthNet also administers three Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) for Missourians enrolled in Medicare: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), and Qualifying Individual (QI). These run on their own fixed monthly income and resource limits, separate from the MAGI percentages and the Spend Down rules described above — a household could be well over the MO HealthNet expansion-adult limit and still qualify for an MSP once they're on Medicare.
| Program | Situation | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|---|
| QMB | Individual | $1,350/mo |
| QMB | Married couple | $1,824/mo |
| SLMB | Individual | $1,616/mo |
| SLMB | Married couple | $2,184/mo |
| QI | Individual | $1,816/mo |
| QI | Married couple | $2,455/mo |
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 most valuable tier: it pays the Part B premium ($202.90/month in 2026), the Part A premium for anyone who owes one, and every Medicare deductible, coinsurance charge, and copayment. Federal law bars providers who accept Medicare from billing a QMB enrollee for that cost-sharing, period. SLMB and QI cover only the Part B premium — real help with a monthly bill, but no protection against deductibles or coinsurance.
Apply through the Missouri Family Support Division at mydss.mo.gov or by calling 855-373-4636 — the state agency handles MSP applications, not Medicare or the Social Security Administration. QI draws from a capped annual federal allotment awarded first-come, first-served, so approved members must reapply every year. QMB, SLMB, and QI enrollment also brings automatic enrollment in Extra Help, capping 2026 covered Part D drug costs at $12.65 per prescription.
MO HealthNet (Missouri Medicaid)
- Benefit Program Income Limits — Missouri Family Support Division: https://mydss.mo.gov/benefit-program-income-limits
Income Limits in Nearby States
Related guides
Income Limits
Current income cutoffs by state and household size, tied to the Federal Poverty Level.
Read more →Spend-Down
How to qualify by deducting medical bills from income that's above the limit.
Read more →QMB Program
What the QMB program covers, what a QMB card proves, and how to apply.
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