Medicaid for Families with Children

Michigan provides Medicaid coverage to some families with children, under the Low Income Family (LIF) Medicaid category, as well as the time-limited Transitional Medicaid (TMA) (maximum 12 months)and Special N Medicaid (maximum 4 months) categories. These family categories cover both the children and the parents, or other close relatives acting as a parent, who live with the children.

For LIF, the "child" must be (a) under age 18 or (b) under age 20, in high school, and expected to graduate from high school before turning 20.

The LIF Medicaid eligibility category requires the family to have very low “budgeted” income (about 35% of the federal poverty level. TMA and Special N Medicaid do not have income or asset limits, but families must meet other requirements described in the next paragraph.

To qualify for TMA or Special N Medicaid, the the family must have received LIF in 3 of the 6 months before their first month on TMA or Special N Medicaid. In addition, the family must have lost LIF eligibility because of income. To qualify for TMA, the family must have earnings. To qualify for Special N Medicaid, they must receive child support.

Medicaid for Parents or Kinship Caregivers

Some parents or kinship caregivers also may qualify for the “Caretaker Relative” Medicaid category, which has an income limit of less than 50% of the federal poverty level that varies depending on where the individual lives, and an asset limit of $3,000 in cash assets such as bank accounts, stock or bonds., and retirement accounts. Those with slightly higher income limits may qualify for Medicaid with a monthly deductible. See the section on Deductible Medicaid (LINK).

Kinship caregivers who may qualify for Medicaid include grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings or cousins, and other close relatives who are acting as the parent for a child. The individual does not have to have a guardianship or custody order to qualify as a caretaker relative.

The child must be living with the caretaker relative more than half the days in the year. The child must be unmarried and (a) under the age of 18 or (b) age 18, in high school, and expected to graduate from high school before turning 19).

Some parents or kinship caregivers may qualify for Medicaid under categories for persons with disabilities or for pregnant women. See the sections on Medicaid for Persons with Disabilities and Seniors and Medicaid and MOMS for Pregnant Women.