Who Is Eligible for a Medicaid Card in Ohio?

In Ohio, Medicaid provides health insurance coverage to low-income individuals throughout the state. In addition to meeting the income requirements, an applicant will need to also meet the citizenship, residency, eligibility group and asset requirements. Once you determine you are eligible for Medicaid, you can access the application through the Ohio.gov website.

Citizenship and Residency

• You must reside in Ohio to receive Ohio Medicaid. Although Medicaid is a federal program, each state has its own separate program. Eligibility is restricted to U.S. citizens and legal immigrants. Illegal aliens are limited to emergency Medicaid coverage, if necessary. To validate your citizenship and identity, you will need to submit documentation for each household member. Acceptable documents include a certified copy of a birth certificate, Social Security card, government-issued identification card or naturalization paperwork.

Eligibility Groups

• Medicaid is open to infants, children up to age 19, pregnant women, families with children under the age of 19, adults age 65 or older, disabled or blind, and certain women screened for cervical and/or breast cancer. Nursing home and hospice care are also covered by Medicaid.

Income Limits

• Income requirements are based on the number of household members and their total income in comparison to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). In Ohio, there are two Medicaid programs available to children, families and pregnant women. If your household income is up to 200 percent of the FPL level, you may qualify for The Healthy Start program. Healthy Families is for lower-income families. The income limit for this program is 90 percent of the FPL. Older adults and disabled or blind individuals cannot exceed 64 percent of the FPL. As of 2011, the income limit for an elderly or disabled couple is $1,011 per month. Disabled individuals currently working may qualify for the Medicaid Buy-in Program. A person age 16 to 64 can earn up to 250 percent of the FPL, which is $2,257 per month for a single person. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Project limits the household income to 200 percent of the FPL.

Asset Restrictions

• Medicaid limits the amount of assets an applicant can own. Not all assets are counted. Your home, vehicle and personal possessions are exempt. Cash, bank accounts and real estate are examples of countable assets. Asset restrictions do not apply for infants or pregnant women. An adult cannot have more than $1,500 in countable assets. A couple is only able to maintain $2,250 in assets. A child living with a parent is considered an individual and is limited to $1,500 in assets.