Income limits ensure that Medicaid funds reach those who need them the most.
The Medicaid program provides financial aid for individuals who can't afford medical care. The state of Kentucky puts in place income limit requirements, which vary depending on the family size. Deductions might apply to increase this limit by $90 for work expense, and by $200 for child care of family members under two years of age. For child care of family members over two years of age, there might be deductions of $175 for parents with full-time employment or $150 for parents with part-time employment.
Individuals and Families
The monthly Medicaid income limit for an individual after deductions is $217. The limit increases as the household size increases. For example, a family of two has a limit of $267, while a family of eight has a limit of $627. If individuals and families have incomes above the limit but still can't afford medical care, they might still get Medicaid assistance using the spend-down program. With the spend-down program, a person or family can get Medicaid benefits if the medical costs are greater than the amount by which the family income exceeds the limit.
Unemployed Individuals
If an individual or family has low income and has qualified for the Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (K-TAP), higher income limits apply. For example, an individual's monthly income limit is $742. The limit for a family of two is $851, and the limit increases up to $1,462 for a family of seven or more.
Pregnant Women
The limit for families with pregnant women and children up to the age of one is 185 percent of federal poverty levels. As of July 2010, the limit for an individual is $1,670. For a family of two, the limit is $2,247. The monthly income limit increases with family size, with a family of eight having a limit of $5,706. Each additional family member after that increases the limit by $577.
Children
For families with dependent children under 19 years of age, the limit is 200 percent of the federal poverty levels. As of July 2010, the limit for an individual is $1,805. The limit increases with family size. The limit for a family of eight is $6,169, and each additional family member after that increases $624 to the income limit.
Tags: income limit, limit increases, family eight, family limit, family size, limit individual
