Questions about your household's eligibility for Medicaid & CHIP

You may be asked if anyone on your application was recently turned down for coverage through your state's agency for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Note: If you haven't applied for coverage previously and have been denied Medicaid or CHIP by your state agency, don't check the box.

You may also be asked to select the name of anyone on your application who applied for coverage through their state Medicaid or CHIP agency or the Marketplace during a specific period of time or after a qualifying life event.

Medicaid and CHIP programs may be called different names, like “Medical Assistance,” “All Kids,” or “Family Care.” See what they’re called in your state.

Here’s more information about how to answer these questions

It's important to review and update your expected income and household information to make sure you're getting the right amount of savings. If you qualify for help paying for coverage but don’t report changes, you may owe money when you file your federal income taxes.
To review and update your application:

Select your current application, then select "Report a Life Change" from the left-hand menu.
Select "Report a Change in My Household's Income, Size, or Other Information."
Select the green "Report a Life Change" button.
Navigate through your application and report any changes for the coverage year to your expected income, household members, address, new health coverage offers, and other information.

Remember, Marketplace savings are based on your estimate of expected income for the year you want coverage, not last year’s income. When you submit your updated application, you’ll get an updated eligibility notice. It may show that your
will increase or decrease.

Was anyone in your household denied Medicaid or CHIP coverage recently?

Or, was anyone in your household denied coverage through these programs due to their immigration status in the last 5 years?

There will be a box next to the name of each person who's applying for coverage. Check the box only if a person was found not eligible for this coverage by their state (not by the Marketplace). If the answer is “No” for everyone on your application, select the box for "None of these people."

Don’t check the box for any person who:

Was denied Medicaid or CHIP since the date shown, but had changes in income or household size since the denial (unless they were denied based on immigration status)
Was denied Medicaid or CHIP by the state earlier than the date shown (unless that denial was based on immigration status)
Applied for Medicaid or CHIP, but hasn't received a response yet
Has never applied for Medicaid or CHIP
Was denied Medicaid or CHIP because of the results of a disability determination or because of having too many assets
Was denied Medicaid or CHIP coverage because the applicant didn't turn in paperwork that the state asked for
Was denied Medicaid or CHIP due to their immigration status since the date shown, but has since had a change in that status

Do check the box for any person who:

Had their Medicaid or CHIP end since the date shown because of a change in state rules made them ineligible for Medicaid or CHIP
Was told by the state that their current Medicaid or CHIP coverage will end within the next month
Was denied Medicaid or CHIP by the state since the date shown because their income is too high
Was denied Medicaid or CHIP by the state due to their immigration status since the date shown, because their immigration status makes them not eligible for Medicaid or CHIP
Was denied Medicaid or CHIP by the state because their state doesn’t cover people with their household type (for example, some states don’t cover adults who aren’t taking care of children)
Is a child denied CHIP coverage by the state since the date shown because they need to wait for a month or more before starting CHIP coverage (called the CHIP waiting period)

Recent income changes
If your household income has decreased since the time the Medicaid and CHIP agency(s) sent the denial, you should select “None of these people.” For example, if anyone in your household lost their job, had their hours or wages cut at work, or stopped getting unemployment benefits or another taxable income source, select “None of these people.”

Recent household size changes
If your household size has increased since you were denied Medicaid or CHIP by your state, you should select “None of these people.” For example, if you or another household member recently got married, had a baby, adopted a child, became pregnant, or started claiming someone new as a dependent on your tax return, you should select “None of these people.”

Did any of these people apply for coverage during a specific period of time or after a qualifying life event?

There will be a box next to the name of each person who you told us was recently denied coverage. If the answer is "No" for everyone on your application, select the box for "None of these people."

Do check the box for any person who:

Applied for coverage through HealthCare.gov or their state during Open Enrollment
Applied for coverage through HealthCare.gov outside of Open Enrollment because they qualified for a Special Enrollment Period
Applied for coverage less than 60 days after one of these life events:
- Move
- Loss of health coverage
- Marriage
- Release from incarceration
- Gain of eligible immigration status
- Foster care placement, adoption, or court order
- Birth of a child

If a person qualified for a Special Enrollment Period because of one of these life events, they generally have up to 60 days following the life event to enroll in coverage.

Are you a full-time student?

If you aren't sure whether you're a full-time student, check with your school.

Do you have a parent living in the same state where you go to school?

You may be asked this if you’re a full-time student. A parent can be a birth, adoptive, step, or foster parent.

Why are we asking this question?

We want to make sure people get health coverage in the right state. Sometimes full-time students are eligible for health coverage in the state where their parents live instead of the state where they go to school.

Are you American Indian or Alaska Native?

American Indians and Alaska Natives can still get services from the Indian Health Services, tribal health programs, or urban Indian health programs, and the results of this application won’t change that.

Learn more about questions asked to American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Why are we asking this question?

American Indians and Alaska Natives may get extra help, for example, if they're a member of a federally recognized tribe and enroll in a qualified health plan, they may not have to pay cost sharing and may get monthly Special Enrollment Periods.

Are you pregnant?

Some pregnant women get extra help paying for health coverage, depending on the household's income.

If any of the women in your household are pregnant, telling us on your application will help the whole household get the most help possible paying for health coverage.

How many babies are you expecting during this pregnancy?

If you’re pregnant, telling us on your application how many babies you’re expecting during this pregnancy will help the whole household get the most help possible paying for health coverage.

Were you ever in foster care?

Why are we asking this?

Sometimes young adults who were in foster care can get extra help paying for health coverage.

Were you getting health care through your state Medicaid program?