Medicaid Eligibility Levels for Older Adults and People with Disabilities (Non-MAGI) in 2026

(Authors: Alice Burns, Abby Sachar, and Molly O’Malley Watts for The Kaiser Family Foundation Published: Apr 30, 2026)

In 2026, states will begin implementing provisions from the 2025 reconciliation law that made historic reductions in federal Medicaid funding. Medicaid changes are expected to increase the number of people without health insurance by 7.5 million in 2034. While not a direct focus of many changes in the new law, changes in the law could have implications for older adults and people with disabilities who comprise 1 in 5 Medicaid enrollees but over half of Medicaid spending on account of higher per-person costs. Within this group, there are multiple eligibility pathways, most of which are optional for states to cover, and all of which have more complex eligibility requirements than coverage for other enrollees. (Other enrollees such as children, pregnant women, and people covered under the Affordable Care Act are eligible based on Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). Eligibility based on being ages 65 and older or having a disability is sometimes referred to as “non-MAGI” eligibility.) Changes in the law may pressure states to restrict optional Medicaid eligibility or benefits or reduce provider payment rates. Continue reading here…

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