Medicaid in Texas

Medicaid income limits in dollars

Medicaid limits are expressed as percentages of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). These are the 2026 FPL figures that apply in Texas:

Household size100% FPL138% FPL200% FPL400% FPL
1$15,960$22,025$31,920$63,840
2$21,640$29,863$43,280$86,560
3$27,320$37,702$54,640$109,280
4$33,000$45,540$66,000$132,000
5$38,680$53,378$77,360$154,720
6$44,360$61,217$88,720$177,440
7$50,040$69,055$100,080$200,160
8$55,720$76,894$111,440$222,880

48 contiguous states + DC — for each additional person above 8, add $5,680 (at 100% FPL). Source: HHS Poverty Guidelines 2026 (Federal Register 2026-00755), effective January 13, 2026 · verify at federalregister.gov

What that means in dollars — Texas

  • Parents (family of 3): eligible for Medicaid with annual income up to $4,098 (15% of the $27,320 FPL for 3 persons)
  • Childless adults: NOT eligible for Medicaid in Texas (the state has not adopted ACA expansion)

Eligibility percentages: KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). Dollar figures recompute automatically each year from the HHS guidelines.

Medicaid eligibility limits in Texas (verified data)

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) — Medicaid data by state

Verified on: 2026-05-25

ACA expansion status in Texas

❌ Texas did NOT adopt Medicaid expansion under the ACA. This limits eligibility for childless adults.

Income limits for Medicaid in Texas

  • Parents in a family of 3: up to 15% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
  • Pregnant women: up to 203% of FPL (Medicaid)

Calculate your FPL for household size at aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines.

Verify eligibility

⚠️ Limits change annually. Verify current eligibility with Texas’s Medicaid agency or at healthcare.gov.

Medicaid expansion

Texas HAS NOT adopted ACA Medicaid expansion.

This means childless adults typically do not qualify for Medicaid in Texas even with very low incomes. The program mainly covers: children, pregnant women, parents with dependent children, people with disabilities, and elderly adults.

Coverage for undocumented individuals

Texas does fund some health coverage regardless of immigration status. Here is what the state pays for on its own, on top of what exists in every state:

ChildrenNo state program
AdultsNo state program
Prenatal careAvailable regardless of status — CHIP Perinatal program
In every stateEmergency Medicaid (hospitals treat emergencies, including labor and delivery, regardless of status) and community health centers (FQHCs), which serve you regardless of status or ability to pay.

Source: KFF (per-state lists as of April 2026) and NILC (March 2026). Compare all 51 states and jurisdictions in our coverage-by-state table. State programs change with every budget — confirm with Texas's health agency before deciding.

Federal rules applying in Texas

Regardless of expansion, federal eligibility rules by immigration status apply in Texas:

  • Citizens: YES qualify
  • Permanent residents (green card) 5+ years: YES qualify
  • Permanent residents < 5 years: NO (5-year bar), EXCEPT children and pregnant women in CHIPRA Option states
  • Refugees, asylees: YES qualify (no 5-year bar)
  • DACA: NO qualify (excluded by current rule)
  • Undocumented individuals: NO qualify federally

Emergency services

Under EMTALA, all hospitals in Texas must treat medical emergencies regardless of immigration status. Emergency Medicaid may cover the cost of treating an emergency medical condition for people who meet the other Medicaid requirements that apply in Texas — income, household and state residency — but not the immigration-status requirement (42 U.S.C. 1396b(v)(2); 42 CFR 440.255(c)).

How to apply for Medicaid in Texas

  1. Visit Texas’s Medicaid portal (search “Texas Medicaid” or specific program name)
  2. Fill application online (also available by paper or in person)
  3. Provide: identification, proof of income, proof of residency, immigration documents (if applicable)
  4. Wait for the decision — federal rules set a deadline, not a typical time: the agency must determine eligibility within 45 days, or within 90 days if you applied on the basis of disability (42 CFR 435.912(c)(3)). Those limits may be exceeded only in unusual circumstances, such as a delay by the applicant or an examining physician (42 CFR 435.912(e))
  5. If approved, receive Medicaid card + provider information

Last verified: 2026-05-24.