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Qualifications to Receive Medicaid in Florida

Medicaid is a state and federal program that provides low-cost or free healthcare coverage to low-income people who would "otherwise go without medical care." According to Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, each state's Medicaid program differs from the next. Therefore, Florida has its own set of Medicaid eligibility requirements depending on the population group you belong to.

  1. Basic Qualifications

    • There are three basic requirements that all but one group of Medicaid beneficiaries must satisfy in order to be eligible. The applicant must be a resident of Florida, must be a U.S. citizen or a "qualified alien" and must have a social security number. The only group exempt from these basic qualifications are noncitizens who satisfy all the requirements except for their citizenship status.

    Low-income Families and Children

    • Low-income children (under age 19), along with their parents or caretakers living in the same household, are eligible for Florida Medicaid if the "countable family income does not exceed the income limits and countable assets are not above $2,000." To find out if your family's income and assets fall within the designated limits, refer to the "Family-Related Medicaid Income & Asset Limit Chart."

    Children

    • In Florida, there are Medicaid programs that are available exclusively to children under 19 years of age who are still living with their parents. Along with the three basic requirements, eligibility is based on family income limits which vary depending on the child's age. The Florida Department of Children and Fmailies (DCF) does not determine Medicaid eligibility for this group based on the citizenship of parents or caretakers, or the family's assets.

    Pregnant Women

    • A pregnant woman's Medicaid eligibility is mainly based on the her family's gross income in relation to the size of her family/household. In particular, the income has to be 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level or below.

    Elderly or Disabled

    • According to the DCF website, Florida residents who are receiving or are eligible to receive Supplementary Security Income (SSI) from the Social Security Administration are qualified for Medicaid by default.

    Medically Needy

    • Individuals who have a lot of medical bills on a monthly basis and whose income and assets are too high for them to receive "regular Medicaid" but otherwise fit the eligibility requirements may qualify for the Medically Needy program. To qualify, applicants must present their "share of cost," which is "a certain amount of medical bills each month." In some cases, medically needy participants may be asked to pay their "share of cost" before receiving assistance from Medicaid. The "share of cost" is determined by the size of the family and its gross income. As stated by the DCF, while there is no income limit to qualify for this program, there is an assets limit.

    Noncitizens

    • The Emergency Medical Assistance (EMA) program for aliens provides emergency health care to noncitizens who fit all the criteria of Medicaid eligibility except for their citizenship status. EMA does not require the individual to have a social security number in order to be eligible. The program provides coverage for medical emergencies, which includes childbirth. EMA requires that a medical professional provide evidence of the treatment that the patient has received before she is eligible for benefits.

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