You can enroll in Medicaid or CHIP at any time during the year, not just during Open Enrollment.

The law extends eligibility to all adults under the age of 65 whose modified adjusted gross incomes fall below $16,000 for individuals and $32,500 for a family of four.

In states that decided not to participate in the Medicaid expansion, the rules are different, varying from state to state. About half of the states opted out of the Medicaid expansion, which is something that the U.S. Supreme Court gave them permission to do. In those states, the income cutoff to be eligible for Medicaid is generally much lower than what was set in the Affordable Care Act, so fewer people will qualify. And if you’re a childless adult, you’re most likely not eligible in states that rejected the Medicaid expansion. To find out the income cutoff in your state,

Or, just try signing up for coverage at your health insurance exchange. The exchange will calculate whether you are eligible for Medicaid in your state, and, if you are, direct you to the proper state agency to get signed up.

http://apps.npr.org/affordable-care-act-questions/

If your income is too high to qualify for Medicaid under your state’s rules, you can still try enrolling at an insurance exchange. You may not qualify for subsidies, though. The subsidies are for people whose income falls between $11,490 and $45,960 for a single individual.

If you make too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to qualify for subsidies on the exchange, then you are exempted from the new mandate to carry health insurance.

If that’s your situation — you’re poor and still have no health insurance — you can still seek health care with other safety net providers, such as federal community health centers and free clinics run by local nonprofits.

http://apps.npr.org/affordable-care-act-questions/

Medicaid, jointly funded by the state and the federal government, requires coverage for certain groups of individuals: low-income children and some of their parents; poor pregnant woman; certain low-income seniors; and some individuals with disabilities who are under the age of 65. Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid eligibility will be extended to all individuals with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level beginning in 2014—$45,960 for a family of four and $15,521 for an individual.

Medicaid expansion will cover all families and individuals below this income level, including groups who are currently left out of public health coverage such as low-income, able-bodied parents, low-income adults without children, and many low-income individuals with chronic mental illness or disabilities, who struggle to maintain well-paid jobs but don’t currently meet disability standards for Medicaid.

Adapted from http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/healthcare/news/2013/04/02/58922/

10-frequently-asked-questions-about-medicaid-expansion/

No, your income is too low to qualify for premium tax credits.

http://kff.org/health-reform/faq/health-reform-frequently-asked-questions/?search-global=Medicaid

No, your income is too low to qualify for premium tax credits.

http://kff.org/health-reform/faq/health-reform-frequently-asked-questions/?search-global=Medicaid

Medicaid is free or low cost public health insurance for individuals who qualify. Medicaid can cover your doctor visits, emergency care, preventative care such as screenings and immunizations, and other procedures and treatments. Medicaid does not have an enrollment fee but in some specific circumstances, co-pays may be required.

http://www.cohealthinfo.com/faqs/medicaid/

You can add your children to your Marketplace plan, but because they are eligible for your state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), they are not eligible for premium tax credits. The exception to that is if you live in a state that has a waiting period for enrolling in CHIP. During the waiting period, your children are eligible for a premium tax credit; when the waiting period has ended they can enroll in CHIP and will become ineligible for the tax credit.

http://kff.org/health-reform/faq/health-reform-frequently-asked-questions/?search-global=Medicaid

It depends on her household income and whether she satisfies other eligibility requirements. Depending on her income and immigration status, the pregnant woman could be eligible for Medicaid.

Full-Scope Medicaid Coverage: A pregnant woman might be eligible for full-scope Medicaid coverage. Her eligibility depends on her household, and potentially, also on the trimester of her pregnancy. Assuming she meets other eligibility criteria (e.g., residency in the state of application), a pregnant woman is entitled to full-scope Medicaid coverage during all trimesters of pregnancy if her pregnancy is medically verified and her household income does not exceed the limit set in her state by the cash assistance program (“AFDC”) that was in effect on May 1, 1988.2 States also have the option of providing pregnant women in their last trimester of pregnancy, without other dependent children, full-scope Medicaid coverage, if they meet the state’s 1996 AFDC income standard for parents and other caretaker relatives in the state.3

Pregnancy-Related Coverage: If her household income exceeds the above described AFDC limits for full-scope Medicaid coverage, but is at or below $15,521 or up to $28,721, depending on the state, the pregnant woman is entitled to Medicaid under the category for “pregnancy-related services” and “conditions that might complicate coverage the pregnancy.”4 States have the option of providing coverage at even higher levels, but states cannot drop coverage below $15,521 or up to $28,721, depending on the state. Once the state covers the pregnant women, the woman remains eligible through the month in which the 60-day postpartum period ends, even if she has a change in income otherwise making her ineligible.

Children’s Health Insurance Program (“CHIP”): States have the option of providing coverage to low-income pregnant women under the State CHIP plan. This option is particularly important for women who are ineligible for other programs, like Medicaid, based on income or immigration status. States provide health care coverage for the pregnant woman and/or the pregnant woman’s fetus. Each state has discretion to establish maximum financial eligibility thresholds, but most states set caps well over $23,340

http://www.healthlaw.org/publications/browse-all-publications/QA-Pregnant-Women-Coverage-Medicaid-and-ACA#.VFX2O8n4rhk

A pregnant woman’s eligibility status may change due to her pregnancy, but she may have some choices about her source of coverage.

Medicaid. Generally, a woman who becomes pregnant while enrolled in any Medicaid category, will continue to be eligible for that category. If she becomes pregnant while enrolled in the Medicaid Expansion, she can remain with this full-coverage, at least until redetermination. However, the state must inform the woman of the benefits afforded to pregnant women under the State’s other coverage categories and give her the option to switch categories if she is eligible.

http://www.healthlaw.org/publications/browse-all-publications/QA-Pregnant-Women-Coverage-Medicaid-and-ACA#.VFX2O8n4rhk