Short answer: Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are state-run programs, funded partly with federal money, that provide free or low-cost health coverage to lower-income people, including adults, families and children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities. Eligibility is based mainly on income and household size and varies by state, and you can apply any time of year.
Medicaid and CHIP provide free or low-cost health coverage to eligible low-income adults, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. CHIP specifically covers children, and in some states pregnant women, in families that earn too much for Medicaid but cannot easily afford private coverage. Unlike Marketplace plans, there is no limited enrollment window, so you can apply for Medicaid and CHIP any time of year.
Income eligibility is generally figured using Modified Adjusted Gross Income. MAGI is used to determine financial eligibility for Medicaid, CHIP, and premium tax credits and cost sharing reductions, so a single application can check all of them at once. The fastest ways to apply are through the Marketplace, which forwards your information to your state, or directly with your state Medicaid agency.