Medicaid Coverage

Medicaid is more than just a health care coverage program; it’s a lifeline for millions of Americans. In this video, we’ll explore Medicaid and who is eligible.

Simply put, Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides free or low-cost health care coverage to qualified individuals and families with low incomes. This includes children, pregnant women, older people, and people with disabilities.

Medicaid is the biggest public health insurance program in the country. It helps pay for a wide range of healthcare needs, like going to the doctor, hospital stays, prescription medications, and preventive care. It also provides long-term medical care for people with disabilities and chronic conditions.

Many states, including Kentucky, expanded their Medicaid programs as part of the Affordable Care Act, extending coverage to more low-income individuals and families, including adults without dependent children, who may not have previously qualified. As a result of Medicaid expansion, non-pregnant adult Kentuckians earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level now qualify for Medicaid coverage. Pregnant individuals with incomes up to 200% FPL qualify for Kentucky Medicaid.

Additionally, programs such as the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program, or KCHIP, continue to provide crucial support for uninsured children. Through KCHIP, otherwise uninsured children in Kentucky aged 19 and under can receive health care services, including doctor visits, immunizations, dental care, prescription medications, and more. Uninsured children whose households have an annual income of up to 218% of the Federal Poverty Level are eligible for KCHIP.

In July 2025, Congress passed the “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which includes significant cuts to Medicaid. Along with changes to the Marketplace, an estimated 17 million Americans are projected to lose their health care coverage as a result of this law. Some of the most impactful changes are reduced funding to providers, copay and work requirements for many Medicaid beneficiaries, increased frequency of eligibility determinations from once a year to every six months, and new limitations on which foreign-born people can obtain coverage even if they are in the U.S. lawfully.

Medicaid is a vital safety net that provides healthcare coverage to millions of Americans, allowing vulnerable populations to obtain critical health care services. However, obtaining and retaining coverage, along with access to providers, is likely to be severely compromised for many who need it.