If I am not legally responsible for my 18 yo child does my income need to be included for child's mainecare
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Executive summary
If your 18-year-old child is applying for MaineCare, eligibility is determined by program rules about household composition and income — which can count either the child’s own income or family income depending on the coverage category (children’s/young adult rules vs. adult rules) [1] [2]. Since October 2023 Maine has expanded eligibility for children and young adults under 21 to include family incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty level, so in many child-focused categories household income will be considered [3] [4].
1. Who decides whose income gets counted — program rules, not parental “legal responsibility”
MaineCare determines which incomes to count based on the coverage group and household composition, not on a separate label of whether a parent is “legally responsible” for an adult child; eligibility guidance repeatedly says household income, tax filing status, and relationships between household members must be considered when determining eligibility [2] [1]. Available sources do not mention a special carve‑out where parental non‑responsibility for an 18‑year‑old automatically excludes parental income from the calculation.
2. Different rules for children/young adults versus adults
Maine’s rules treat people under specific ages and in certain categories differently. Children and young adults under 21 (and some young adult expansions) can qualify under child/young‑adult MaineCare categories that expressly use family/household income limits — and those family limits were expanded so children under 21 may qualify with family incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty level [3] [4]. By contrast, some other MaineCare categories count only the applicant’s individual income (the guidelines note “Only the income of the applicant is counted” for certain programs) [2].
3. Practical effect for an 18‑year‑old living with you
If your 18‑year‑old applies under a children’s or young‑adult category, the department will generally consider household/family income when determining eligibility — meaning your income may be included even if you believe you are not “legally responsible” for them [2] [1]. If the 18‑year‑old qualifies under an adult program that counts only the applicant’s income, then only the child’s earnings would be relevant [2]. Available sources do not provide an exhaustive checklist of every MaineCare subgroup and when parental income is excluded; applicants should check the specific coverage group.
4. Recent policy changes that matter
Maine expanded coverage rules for children and young adults effective October 1, 2023, raising family income limits for those groups to as high as 300% of FPL; that change makes it more likely parental income will be part of the determination for many 18‑year‑olds seeking child/young‑adult MaineCare [3] [4]. Separately, there are legislative efforts to adjust financial eligibility levels across other MaineCare categories, which could change how incomes are treated for different populations [5].
5. What the practical next steps should be — apply and ask for specifics
MaineCare guidance and local help lines encourage people to apply even if income seems high, because program categories and disregards vary; after you apply the agency will request any documents and send a written notice of eligibility [1] [6]. Consumer assistance resources and helplines (for example, the Maine Health Insurance Consumer Helpline) are explicitly offered to help families understand which incomes count [7] [6].
6. Areas of ambiguity and where to seek clarity
State guidance shows general principles but does not list every circumstance for parental income exclusion; some materials state “Only the income of the applicant is counted” for particular groups but do not map every subgroup to real‑world family situations [2]. Because of those gaps, you should contact Maine DHHS or a local consumer assistance program to verify which coverage group the 18‑year‑old will be evaluated under and whether household income (including yours) will be used [7] [8].
7. Competing perspectives and advocacy context
Advocates have pushed to expand child coverage limits in Maine and emphasize keeping family income thresholds high so more children qualify; that advocacy explains the 300% FPL expansion and underscores a policy intent to count family income in child categories to extend coverage [4] [3]. The administrative perspective is procedural: apply, submit documentation, and the department will determine eligibility under the relevant rules [1] [2].
If you want, I can draft the specific questions to ask DHHS or a local navigator (phone/email) so you get a definitive answer for your family’s situation.