How do Michigan Medicaid income limits compare to federal poverty level percentages in 2026?
Executive summary
Michigan’s primary adult expansion program (Healthy Michigan Plan / adults 19–64) uses an income limit equal to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) for eligibility, while pregnancy-related coverage in Michigan is set at 200% FPL; other pathways (nursing‑home/long‑term care and Aged, Blind, Disabled) use different dollar and asset thresholds rather than a simple FPL percent (e.g., nursing‑home applicants may show monthly income limits around $2,982 in 2026) [1] [2] [3]. Federal poverty guidelines for 2025/2026 remain the baseline for state calculations and program comparisons; states and programs publish different percentage cutoffs so comparing “Michigan Medicaid” to “FPL percentages” requires identifying which Medicaid pathway you mean [4] [5].
1. Which Michigan Medicaid programs use FPL percentages — and which don’t
Michigan applies FPL percentages to many MAGI‑based categories: adults 19–64 under the Healthy Michigan Plan are eligible up to 138% FPL; pregnant people have a higher threshold (200% FPL), and children and CHIP pathways use other MAGI rules and thresholds [1] [5]. By contrast, long‑term care and SSI‑related Medicaid for seniors/disabled often rely on strict dollar income and asset tests (for example, nursing‑home applicants have program‑specific monthly income thresholds and asset limits rather than a straight FPL percent) [2] [3] [6].
2. The common headline comparisons people use — 138% and 200% — and what they mean
When people ask how Michigan’s Medicaid compares to FPL percentages they usually mean the expansion adult threshold: 138% FPL is the widely cited cut‑off for Healthy Michigan Plan adults [1]. Pregnancy coverage often extends to 200% FPL, which makes prenatal care accessible to a larger group of low‑income people [1]. These percentages are anchored to federal poverty guidelines published by HHS and used statewide to translate percentages into dollar limits [4].
3. Dollar limits for non‑MAGI categories complicate side‑by‑side FPL comparisons
For aged, blind and disabled (ABD) categories and long‑term care, Michigan uses dollar‑based monthly income caps and asset ceilings that don’t convert cleanly into a single FPL percentage. Public reporting and planning sites note, for example, a 2026 monthly nursing‑home income threshold around $2,982 for single applicants and asset caps near $9,950 for certain pathways — figures that must be compared to FPL annualized amounts to get an implicit percentage, and that vary by program and marital status [2] [3] [7]. Michigan Legal Help reinforces that MAGI applies to some groups while ABD has separate rules [5].
4. Why the calendar year and guideline choice matter
Which FPL table you use matters for comparisons: marketplace subsidies and some program determinations use the prior year’s poverty guidelines for a coverage year, and Medicaid eligibility typically uses the current year’s published guidelines, so timing shifts can change the dollar value represented by a given percent [4] [8]. Coverage year mechanics mean a headline “138% of FPL” can translate to different dollar cutoffs depending on whether you use 2025 or 2026 guidelines [4] [8].
5. Practical implications for applicants and planners
For most non‑elderly adults, the FPL‑percentage framework is straightforward: under 138% FPL → Healthy Michigan Plan eligibility; pregnant people up to 200% FPL get pregnancy coverage [1]. For seniors and people seeking long‑term care, dollars and assets drive eligibility; people whose income exceeds those limits may still qualify through “spend‑down,” trusts, or other planning strategies — a reality emphasized by state guidance and Medicaid planning sources [9] [3].
6. Conflicting or missing details in public sources
State MDHHS pages state program rules and spend‑down mechanics but do not publish one simple, universal FPL percentage that covers every Medicaid pathway — Michigan’s policies are program‑specific [9] [5]. Independent compilations and legal guides report nursing‑home income figures (e.g., $2,982/month for 2026) and asset limits, but these are presented by program and may vary by marital status or implementation dates [2] [3] [7]. Available sources do not mention a single Michigan‑wide FPL percentage that applies to all Medicaid categories.
7. Bottom line for this question
If your interest is adults 19–64, Michigan’s Medicaid expansion aligns with 138% FPL; if you’re asking about pregnancy coverage, the cutoff is 200% FPL; if you mean seniors or disability/long‑term care, Michigan uses explicit dollar and asset thresholds (e.g., ~ $2,982/month and sub‑$10,000 countable assets for certain nursing‑home paths in 2026) rather than a single FPL percentage [1] [2] [7]. For exact dollar cutoffs tied to a household size in 2026 you must convert the relevant FPL table to dollars or consult the specific MDHHS program page because rules differ by category [4] [9].