Texas Medicaid income limits are not the same for everyone.
They depend on your eligibility category. They also depend on your family size. And they depend on which financial rules apply to your case.
The main categories are:
- Children under 19
- Pregnant women
- Parents and caretaker relatives of dependent children
- People age 65 or older
- People who are blind or have a disability
- People applying for nursing-facility care, waiver services, or other long-term care
- Children who may qualify for CHIP instead of Medicaid
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) makes the final decision on your case. The numbers below are income standards. You still need to meet other rules too, like Texas residency and citizenship or eligible immigration status.
Last reviewed: August 27, 2026 Source: Texas HHSC, Texas Works Handbook, Section C-131.1, Revision 26-2, effective April 1, 2026. The dollar amounts below apply starting March 1, 2026.
Quick Answer: Which Texas Medicaid Income Limit Applies to You?
There’s no single “Texas Medicaid income limit” for every adult and family.
Here’s a fast breakdown:
- Children. Texas uses several income standards for kids. The current ones are 133%, 144%, and 198% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Which one applies depends on your child’s specific category.
- Pregnant women. Texas Medicaid for Pregnant Women uses the 198% FPL standard.
- Parents and caretaker relatives. Texas has a separate, much lower income standard for this group. It hasn’t changed since October 1, 2015.
- Adults without dependent children. Texas has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Low income alone usually doesn’t qualify a non-disabled adult age 19–64 with no dependent children. You may still qualify through pregnancy, disability, age, or a long-term-care pathway.
- CHIP. Texas CHIP covers kids under 19 whose family income is too high for Children’s Medicaid but at or below 201% FPL.
- CHIP Perinatal. This uses a 202% FPL standard. It applies to the unborn child of a pregnant woman who doesn’t qualify for Medicaid.
- MEPD and long-term care. Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities (MEPD), Medicare Savings Programs, and long-term-care Medicaid follow different rules entirely. Don’t use the children’s or pregnancy FPL charts to figure out MEPD or nursing-facility eligibility.
Moving to Texas from another state, or just curious how these limits compare? See our Medicaid income limits by state guide.
Important: The FPL chart below is a reference table. It doesn’t mean you automatically qualify at that income level. HHSC still checks your eligibility category, household makeup, countable income, and every other program rule.
Not sure which category fits your situation? Use our Texas Medicaid eligibility calculator to check your household against the current income limits.
Texas Medicaid and CHIP Income Limits at a Glance
| Program or group | 2026 income standard | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Children’s Medicaid | 133%, 144%, or 198% FPL | Depends on your child’s specific Medicaid category |
| Medicaid for Pregnant Women | 198% FPL | Listed under program code TP 40 |
| CHIP | 201% FPL | For kids above the Medicaid limit but under the CHIP limit |
| CHIP Perinatal | 202% FPL | Covers the unborn child, not full Medicaid for the mother |
| Parents/caretaker relatives | Separate, much lower fixed amount | Texas didn’t adopt ACA adult expansion |
| Transitional Medicaid | 185% FPL | For people who lose Medicaid due to higher earnings or child/spousal support |
| MEPD and long-term care | Separate income and resource rules | Based on SSI-related rules, not MAGI or FPL charts |
Texas Medicaid and CHIP Monthly Income Chart for 2026
This chart shows the current HHSC monthly income amounts. These are program standards. They aren’t a one-size-fits-all approval chart.
| Family size | 133% FPL | 144% FPL | 198% FPL | CHIP: 201% FPL | CHIP Perinatal: 202% FPL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,769 | $1,916 | $2,634 | $2,674 | $2,687 |
| 2 | $2,399 | $2,597 | $3,571 | $3,625 | $3,643 |
| 3 | $3,028 | $3,279 | $4,508 | $4,577 | $4,599 |
| 4 | $3,658 | $3,960 | $5,445 | $5,528 | $5,555 |
| 5 | $4,288 | $4,642 | $6,383 | $6,479 | $6,512 |
| 6 | $4,917 | $5,324 | $7,320 | $7,431 | $7,468 |
| 7 | $5,547 | $6,005 | $8,257 | $8,382 | $8,424 |
| 8 | $6,176 | $6,687 | $9,194 | $9,334 | $9,380 |
| 9 | $6,806 | $7,368 | $10,131 | $10,285 | $10,336 |
| 10 | $7,435 | $8,050 | $11,069 | $11,236 | $11,292 |
| Each extra person | +$630 | +$682 | +$938 | +$952 | +$957 |
How to Read This Table
Each column matches specific Texas HHSC program codes.
- 133% FPL covers assistance types TP 44, TP 34, and TA 76.
- 144% FPL covers TP 48, TP 33, and TA 75.
- 198% FPL covers TP 40, TP 42, TP 43, TP 36, and TP 35, plus TA 74.
- 201% FPL is the CHIP standard (TA 84).
- 202% FPL is the CHIP Perinatal standard (TA 85).
The 198% column is the one that matters for Medicaid for Pregnant Women (TP 40). It also covers certain children’s Medicaid categories.
Texas uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) rules for CHIP and CHIP Perinatal. This means household size for Medicaid isn’t always the same as the number of people living in your home. It follows federal tax-filing rules instead.
Texas Children’s Medicaid Income Limits
Texas doesn’t have one children’s Medicaid limit. It has several.
Depending on your child’s specific category, the income standard is 133%, 144%, or 198% FPL.
| Income standard | What it applies to |
|---|---|
| 133% FPL | Assistance types TP 44, TP 34, TA 76 |
| 144% FPL | Assistance types TP 48, TP 33, TA 75 |
| 198% FPL | Assistance types TP 43, TP 36, TP 35, TA 74 |
If your child doesn’t qualify for Medicaid, they may still qualify for CHIP. HHSC checks Medicaid eligibility first. If your child doesn’t qualify, HHSC automatically checks CHIP next. You don’t need to file a separate application.
Texas Pregnancy Medicaid Income Limits
Texas Medicaid for Pregnant Women (program code TP 40) uses the 198% FPL income standard.
2026 Monthly Income Limits for Pregnancy Medicaid
| Family size | Maximum monthly income (198% FPL) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,634 |
| 2 | $3,571 |
| 3 | $4,508 |
| 4 | $5,445 |
| 5 | $6,383 |
| 6 | $7,320 |
| 7 | $8,257 |
| 8 | $9,194 |
| 9 | $10,131 |
| 10 | $11,069 |
| Each extra person | +$938 |
These are HHSC’s standard income limits for this program. They’re not a simple gross-income cutoff. HHSC applies MAGI rules to figure out your household size and countable income, and that can look different from who actually lives in your home.
If a pregnant woman doesn’t qualify for Medicaid, her unborn child may still qualify for CHIP Perinatal.
Texas CHIP Income Limits
Texas CHIP covers children under 19 whose family income is too high for Medicaid but still at or below 201% FPL.
HHSC checks Medicaid eligibility first. If your child doesn’t qualify, HHSC then checks CHIP.
2026 Monthly Income Limits for CHIP
| Family size | Maximum monthly income (201% FPL) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,674 |
| 2 | $3,625 |
| 3 | $4,577 |
| 4 | $5,528 |
| 5 | $6,479 |
| 6 | $7,431 |
| 7 | $8,382 |
| 8 | $9,334 |
| 9 | $10,285 |
| 10 | $11,236 |
| Each extra person | +$952 |
CHIP Costs
Not every family pays a CHIP enrollment fee. It depends on your net income:
- $0 fee if your net income is at or below 151% FPL
- $35 fee if your net income is above 151% up to 186% FPL
- $50 fee if your net income is above 186% up to 201% FPL
Small co-pays may also apply for certain visits and services.
Texas CHIP Perinatal Income Limits
CHIP Perinatal is different from both Medicaid for Pregnant Women and regular CHIP.
It can cover the unborn child of a pregnant woman who:
- Doesn’t qualify for Medicaid
- Has household income at or below the CHIP Perinatal limit
- Meets Texas residency and other program rules
The 2026 income standard for CHIP Perinatal is 202% FPL.
2026 Monthly Income Limits for CHIP Perinatal
| Family size | Maximum monthly income (202% FPL) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,687 |
| 2 | $3,643 |
| 3 | $4,599 |
| 4 | $5,555 |
| 5 | $6,512 |
| 6 | $7,468 |
| 7 | $8,424 |
| 8 | $9,380 |
| 9 | $10,336 |
| 10 | $11,292 |
| Each extra person | +$957 |
CHIP Perinatal provides coverage for an eligible unborn child. It is not the same as full Medicaid coverage for the pregnant woman. The mother does get limited benefits tied to the pregnancy, including two postpartum visits. But the program’s main coverage is for the unborn child — and, after birth, for the child.
Coverage starts on the first day of the month your eligibility is decided. Once the baby is born, coverage for the child starts on the actual date of birth.
Parents, Caretaker Relatives, and Adults Without Children
Parents and caretaker relatives of dependent children can qualify for Texas Medicaid. But the income limit for this group is much lower than the limits above. Texas hasn’t updated this standard since October 1, 2015.
Adults without dependent children face a bigger hurdle. Texas has not adopted the ACA’s Medicaid expansion. That means low income by itself usually isn’t enough to qualify a non-disabled adult age 19–64 with no dependent children. You may still have another path in, through pregnancy, disability, age, or a long-term-care need.
There’s also Transitional Medicaid, which uses a 185% FPL standard. This applies if you lose Medicaid because your earnings went up, or because you started receiving child or spousal support. It’s not a general eligibility path — it only applies in that specific situation.
MEPD and Long-Term Care: Different Rules Apply
Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities (MEPD), Medicare Savings Programs, and long-term-care Medicaid don’t use the FPL charts above.
These programs use SSI-related income rules and separate resource (asset) limits instead of MAGI. Don’t try to match your income against the children’s, pregnancy, or CHIP tables if you’re applying for MEPD, a nursing facility, or a waiver program. The rules and dollar limits are different, and mixing them up will give you the wrong answer.
If this applies to you or a family member, check directly with HHSC or a Texas Medicaid planning resource for the current MEPD and long-term-care standards.
Common Questions (FAQs)
Is there one Texas Medicaid income limit for everyone?
No. Texas uses different income standards for children, pregnant women, parents, CHIP, and long-term care. Your category decides which number applies to you.
What is the Texas CHIP income limit for 2026?
201% of the Federal Poverty Level. For a family of four, that’s $5,528 a month.
What is the Texas pregnancy Medicaid income limit for 2026?
198% FPL. For a family of four, that’s $5,445 a month.
What is CHIP Perinatal, and who does it cover?
CHIP Perinatal covers an unborn child when the mother doesn’t qualify for Medicaid. It’s not full Medicaid coverage for the mother herself.
Does Texas have Medicaid expansion for adults?
No. Texas has not adopted the ACA’s Medicaid expansion. Most non-disabled adults without dependent children don’t qualify based on income alone.
Do the FPL charts apply to MEPD or nursing-facility Medicaid?
No. Those programs use separate SSI-related income and resource rules, not the MAGI/FPL charts on this page.
Sources and Methodology
This page was last reviewed on August 27, 2026. Income standards can change when Texas HHSC updates its policy handbooks, or when federal poverty guidelines are revised.
The figures and program descriptions on this page come from these official Texas sources:
- Texas HHSC — Texas Works Handbook, C-130: Medical Programs. Source for the 2026 FPL reference table, including the monthly amounts for 133%, 144%, 198%, 201%, and 202% FPL. The handbook revision is effective April 1, 2026. The listed amounts apply starting March 1, 2026. View Texas HHSC C-130 Medical Programs
- Texas HHSC — Texas Works Handbook, D-110: General Policy. Source for how CHIP and CHIP Perinatal work, including the rule that CHIP covers eligible children under 19 above the Children’s Medicaid limit and at or below 201% FPL, plus the 202% FPL CHIP Perinatal standard. View CHIP and CHIP Perinatal general policy
- Texas HHSC — Texas Works Handbook, D-1010: CHIP and CHIP Perinatal General Policy. Source for the use of Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) rules in CHIP and CHIP Perinatal eligibility. View MAGI rules for CHIP and CHIP Perinatal
- Texas HHSC — Texas Works Handbook, D-320: Budget Group. Source for MAGI household-composition rules. Household size for Medicaid may not match the number of people living at the same address, because Texas follows federal tax-household rules. View CHIP and CHIP Perinatal budget-group rules
- Texas HHSC — Texas Works Handbook, D-1820: CHIP Enrollment Fees. Source for the CHIP enrollment-fee policy and income bands. This is a separate rule from the CHIP eligibility chart. View Texas CHIP enrollment-fee policy
- Texas HHSC — Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities Handbook, June 2026 revision notice. Source for the general MEPD, Medicare Savings Programs, and long-term-care framework referenced on this page. These programs use separate financial rules and are not calculated from the MAGI tables above. View the MEPD Handbook June 2026 revision notice
- Your Texas Benefits — official Texas benefits portal. Use this to apply, upload documents, report changes, or renew Medicaid and CHIP coverage. Visit Your Texas Benefits
Editorial Note
- Every dollar amount on this page ties back to the specific HHSC source listed above for that table.
- Texas HHSC makes the final eligibility decision. A listed income figure does not guarantee approval.
- MAGI rules generally apply to children’s Medicaid, pregnancy Medicaid, CHIP, and CHIP Perinatal. MEPD, long-term-care Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs, and some disability pathways use different income and resource rules.
- We review this page whenever Texas HHSC publishes a revised handbook, changes an eligibility table, or updates the federal poverty guidelines. If something changes, we update the affected table and the “Last reviewed” date above.
This page is for general information only. It is not a substitute for an official eligibility determination from Texas HHSC.
