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Elizabeth M. Whitehorn, Director

Introduction to Medicaid

Medicaid provides affordable health coverage to residents of Illinois.  The term “Medicaid” is used in this guide to describe the health coverage programs managed by the State of Illinois.  Medicaid is sometimes referred to as “All Kids” or the “medical card.”

 

Within Medicaid, there are different coverage groups for different populations including: All Kids, FamilyCare, ACA Adults, Moms & Babies, Former Foster Care, and AABD medical.

Medicaid Coverage Groups

All Kids

All Kids provides health coverage for children, newborn through age 18. 

Family Care

FamilyCare provides health coverage to parents or caretaker relatives of dependent children. Children are considered dependent if they are under the age of 18 and live with parents or caretakers.

ACA Adults

ACA Adults provides health coverage to adults ages 19 through 64 who do not have dependent children under the age of 18 living with them and do not already have Medicare.

Moms & Babies

Moms & Babies provides health coverage to women who are pregnant until 12 months after their baby is born. Moms & Babies also provides coverage for newborns up to one year old if the mom was covered by Moms & Babies when the baby was born.

Former Foster Care

Former Foster Care provides health coverage for adults ages 19 through 25 who aged out of foster care provided by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

Aid to the Aged Blind or Disabled (AABD)

Aid to the Aged Blind or Disabled (AABD) provides health coverage to people who are age 65 or older, or are blind, or have a disability.

Who is Eligible for Medicaid?

Medicaid provides health coverage for Illinois residents who meet certain eligibility criteria including income limits and immigration status. It can be hard to tell whether or not you are eligible for Medicaid, so if you need Medicaid, the best thing to do is apply. There is no penalty for applying, even if you are not found eligible.

Income Requirements

In order to qualify for Medicaid, your income must be below the Medicaid income limit for your household size. Your household size is considered:

  • You

  • Your husband or wife if you live together, even if you do not file taxes jointly

  • Your children and step children under 19 years old if they live with you

  • Your child’s mother or father if they live with you and if the child is under 19 and also lives with you

  • Any dependents that you plan to claim on your taxes even if they do not live with you

Your income includes:

  • Wages from a job
  • Money from self-employement
  • Social Security benefits
  • Retirement payments
  • Rental income
  • Money from day care or babysitting
  • Other income or support

Immigration Status

Medicaid considers your status as a U.S. citizen or immigrant. Unless you are a child under age 19 or a pregnant woman, In order to be eligible for Medicaid, you must be either a U.S. citizen or an immigrant who has been living in the U.S. with lawful permanent resident status for at least five years. Other immigrants with special status, such refugees and asylees, may also be eligible right away. You can still apply for your children even if you are not a U.S. Citizen or have not had lawful permanent resident status for five years. If you are a lawful permanent resident but have not had that status for five years, you may be eligible for financial assistance to help you buy private insurance on the Health Insurance Marketplace.

 

Information you put on a Medicaid application will NOT be shared with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for any purpose.

 

Applying for Medicaid will NOT affect your ability to become a citizen.

Eligibility Screening Tool

To learn if you may be eligible for Medicaid, you can fill out a quick screening tool online or talk to someone over the phone and give them basic information about your household and income.To do this, go to www.Getcoveredillinois.gov or call the Marketplace Help Desk at 1-866-311-1119. Even if the screening tool says you may qualify for Medicaid, you must still complete a full application to apply.

Even if you are not found eligible for Medicaid, you may qualify for financial assistance to help you afford coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplace.

 

For information on the Health Insurance Marketplace,

 go to: www.GetCoveredIllinois.gov

 or call:

1-866-311-1119.