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Who Is Eligible for Medicaid in Kansas?

Kansas, like all U.S. states, administers the federal Medicaid program for its residents. Unlike Medicare, for which the federal government picks up the entire tab, Medicaid costs are shared between federal and state governments. The largest provider of children's health care in the U.S., Medicaid also is available for low-income, elderly and disabled people. Although the federal government provides guidelines, Kansas sets its own eligibility requirements for Medicaid applicants. Kansas administers its Medicaid programs through the Kansas Health Policy Authority (KHPA) and its own HealthWave program.

  1. Children

    • Kansas' Medicaid program was combined with the federal State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 2001, creating the HealthWave program. Children must be under age 19 and be Kansas residents to qualify for Medicaid health benefits. They also must be U.S. citizens or qualified aliens. There are no resource or asset criteria, but household income standards must be met. Although states must adhere to minimum federal poverty level (FPL) guidelines, many provide for higher income thresholds in order to accommodate more needy people. Kansas, however, adheres strictly to the established federal FPL limits. For example, a household with one qualifying child age 6 through 18 has a monthly income limit of $903 (100 percent of the FPL). One child age 1 through 5 increases the limit to $1,201 (133 percent of FPL), and pregnant women and qualifying children under 1 have a $1,354 limit (150 percent). The income limit correspondingly increases with each additional qualifying child.

    Pregnant Women

    • Pregnant women must be Kansas residents and intend to stay in Kansas. They also must be citizens or qualified aliens and verify their status and provide identification. No asset information is required, and a woman's family size is determined by including the woman, her unborn child and the father (if he lives with the woman). Parents also must be included if the woman is a minor. Family size and income limits are $1,822 for a woman and unborn child, $2,289 for three household members, and $2,757 for a household of four. The earned and unearned income of the mother, father (if he lives in the home), as well as parents' income if the mother is a minor, are all included. Wages, unemployment benefits, Social Security benefits, VA payments and child support is included in determining income.

    Parents and Caregivers

    • The same residency requirements apply as for children and pregnant women. Families with children under 19 are eligible, as are guardians or relatives who care for the children. The only asset consideration is a trust fund owned by any household member, which is counted as a resource for income limit purposes. Monthly income is compared to income standards used in the Kansas TAF (temporary assistance for families) program. Family size and your location within the state of Kansas affect assistance amounts. A family of four would have a monthly income limit of $421 to $497 per month, depending on household members' income.

    Elderly and Disabled Persons

    • Kansas offers many programs to assist seniors and disabled people. You must be 65 or older, or have a disability that meets Social Security guidelines. Asset limits are imposed for most plans, although many exemptions are allowed, such as for your primary residence, one car, burial arrangements, and most furniture and household items. Other assets---stocks and bonds, bank accounts and insurance policies, for instance---are counted toward income-limit guidelines. Health-care assistance is available for people enrolled in various programs, including SSI recipients and Medicare Savings Plan members.

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