How to Qualify for Medicaid in Michigan

Not having health insurance can be unsettling. Illness or injury without coverage could put someone into major debt. For those without access to health insurance due to their low-income status, Medicaid is an option. Michigan has a comprehensive Medicaid program that the U.S. News & World Report ranked as the tenth best in the nation. There are qualification guidelines to join.

Instructions

• 1

  Find out if you are in a population to which Michigan offers Medicaid coverage. First, children are under 21 are covered through the Healthy Kids program and the under-21 program. Healthy Kids is designed for those under 19 and the under-21 program is for those with higher incomes or between the ages of 19 and 21.

  Adults can qualify in one of seven ways: if they are pregnant women, through family Medicaid programs, or if they are caretakers, elderly, blind, disabled or considered disabled adult children. Pregnant women qualify under the Healthy Kids for Pregnant Women program and the Group 2 Pregnant Women program. Pregnant women are covered during the pregnancy and for two months following the pregnancy. Families can qualify for the Low Income Family program or for the Special N Support program, which was designed for those who don't qualify due to child support payments.

• 2

  Meet the income and asset guidelines. The income guidelines are based on the federal poverty guidelines. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that the income guidelines for the elderly, blind and disabled are based on 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, and for pregnant women are based on 185 percent. For children under 19, the guidelines are based on 150 percent, and for infants, 185 percent. Finally, caretakers must have incomes no higher than 64 percent of the federal poverty limit. Families, caretakers, the elderly, blind and disabled are also subject to asset eligibility guidelines. Assets are things such as cars and money in bank accounts.

• 3

  Apply for Medicaid. Even if you are not sure if you qualify, the Michigan Department of Community Health encourages anyone close to the qualification guidelines to apply anyway. Michigan's Medicaid program is flexible, with many options for those at different income levels, and the social workers with Medicaid may be able to find you help even if you don't qualify for Medicaid. To apply, get an application from the Department of Human Services (DHS), which is available on their website, or you can pick one up from any DHS office. Fill it out to the best of your ability, and return it to your local DHS office.