Can I Get Medicaid If I Live With My Parents?

Many adults share a home with their parents. These living arrangements can be convenient and sometimes even necessary for families.

Sharing a home can help you save money or care for aging parents. However, living with other people can impact the availability of some benefits. You may be able to get Medicaid if you live with someone, but there are restrictions you should be aware of.

Medicaid for children and teenagers is also affected by how much their parents earn. Regardless of your age, you may be able to get Medicaid while living with your parents.

Can I Get Medicaid If I Live With My Parents? 

Yes, it's possible to get Medicaid if you live with your parents. However, in some cases, their income could disqualify you.

Several factors determine Medicaid eligibility: 

• Age
• Disability status
• Whether the applicant is pregnant
• State where the applicant resides
• Tax filing status 
• Household income 

There's no rule against getting Medicaid if you live with your parents, but eligibility factors may be impacted by sharing a household. If your parents earn too much money, you may not be able to get Medicaid while living together. 

Does Household Income Include Parents? 

Your parents' income may affect your eligibility to receive Medicaid if: 

• You live with them, or 
• They could claim as you a dependent on their taxes

If you're under 19, your parents' income will affect your Medicaid eligibility as long as you live together. If you're 19 or older, your parents' income will affect your Medicaid if they claim you as a dependent on their taxes. 

 In most cases, Medicaid income eligibility is determined by your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). MAGI is calculated from household size and total household income. 

Your MAGI must be less than a set amount to qualify for Medicaid. Using MAGI allows people with larger households to have higher household incomes and still qualify for Medicaid. Income limits are different in every state. For example, in Texas, a three-person household can have a total income of $43,481. In Colorado, the income limit is $29,207. 

If your parents are considered part of your household, they will impact your Medicaid eligibility. Although your parents will increase your household size, living together may prevent you from receiving Medicaid if their incomes are too high.

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What is Considered a Household for Medicaid? 

Because Medicaid eligibility depends on household size and income, you may want to understand what counts as a household. Medicaid usually defines households based on tax relationships. 

Parents can claim adult children as dependents under some circumstances. If your parent claims you as a dependent on their taxes, your household is the same as theirs. That means your household includes: 

• You
• Your parent
• The parent's spouse 
• Any other person your parent claims as a dependent 

If no one claims you as a dependent, your household usually consists of yourself, your spouse and anyone you claim as a dependent. Sometimes an adult child is living with a sick or disabled parent, and in these situations, the child may claim the parent as a dependent. However, any income received by your parent still counts toward your household income. 

Your parents will always be considered part of your household if you are under 19 and live with them, regardless of tax filing status. Be aware that there are limited exceptions to these rules, and some states have slightly different ways of defining households.