What is the income limit for household of 2 for Michigan expanded Medicaid?
Executive summary
Michigan’s Medicaid expansion (the Healthy Michigan Plan) generally covers adults with household incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL), and eligibility is calculated using Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) based on household size [1] [2]. Exact dollar cutoffs for a two‑person household change with the annual FPL guideline, so a specific dollar amount requires the current year’s FPL figure or an FPL calculator [3] [4].
1. What the rule says: Healthy Michigan uses a percent of the FPL
Michigan’s expanded Medicaid (Healthy Michigan Plan) sets its income ceiling as a percentage of the federal poverty level rather than a fixed statewide dollar amount: adult expansion coverage is available up to 138% of FPL, and the program applies MAGI rules to determine income for the household [1] [2]. This approach means the numerical dollar limit for a household of two is tied to the year’s federal poverty guideline and therefore moves each year with federal updates [3] [4].
2. How the state counts income and household size
MDHHS follows MAGI rules when evaluating many Medicaid categories, which typically uses the same Adjusted Gross Income found on federal tax returns and takes household composition into account; household size for Medicaid can differ from other programs, so the size used for the calculation matters [2] [4]. Guidance for applicants points to the state’s application portal and forms (for example MI Bridges and form DCH‑1426) to submit income documentation and determine eligibility [3].
3. Why a precise dollar figure can’t be given here from the provided reporting
None of the supplied sources include the specific 2026 dollar value of 138% FPL for a two‑person household; they describe the percentage rule and direct readers to FPL calculators or state tools to convert that percentage into a dollar cutoff [3] [4]. Consequently, reporting can authoritatively state the eligibility threshold as 138% of FPL for expansion adults, but cannot responsibly print an exact monthly or annual dollar limit for a household of two without the current-year poverty guideline number [3].
4. Where to get the exact number and practical steps
To convert 138% of FPL into a precise dollar limit for a household of two, use an up‑to‑date FPL table or an FPL calculator referenced by enrollment guides — the HealthInsurance.org piece and state application materials point users to such calculators and to MI Bridges for applications [3]. State and legal help pages reiterate that MAGI is the basis for income evaluation and that application portals will compute eligibility using current federal guidelines [2] [3].
5. Related eligibility nuances that matter for some households
Separate Medicaid categories have different rules: long‑term care and nursing‑home eligibility use different income and asset considerations (with stated monthly caps and asset rules for 2026 in long‑term care contexts), and “medically needy” or spend‑down pathways can apply when medical costs reduce countable income or assets [5] [2]. The expansion (Healthy Michigan Plan) is the standard route for most adults 19–64 without disability, but pregnant people, children, seniors, and those qualifying via SSI have different thresholds and counting rules [1] [2].
6. Alternative viewpoints and caveats in the reporting
Sources uniformly describe the 138% FPL rule for expansion adults, but they also emphasize practical complications: household definitions vary across programs and MAGI differences can affect eligibility calculations [4] [2]. Some legal/advocacy pages highlight asset‑based rules for other Medicaid streams (long‑term care/spousal protections) that do not apply to MAGI‑based HMP eligibility, a distinction applicants should note [5] [2].