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Disability-Based Medicaid

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    updated January 13, 2026
    Disability-Based Medicaid

    The Basics

    Medicaid is a public program that helps pay medical expenses for people with low income. How you may qualify depends on your family’s situation, including things like whether you have a disability, how much you have in income, whether you are pregnant, or if you are a child.

    If you have a disability, you may qualify for Medicaid through rules that aren't related to your disability, such as the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan (IHAWP). However, you also have some extra ways to qualify for Medicaid based on your disability, including:

    This article introduces these ways of getting disability-based Medicaid and helps you figure out if they might be right for you.

    Other ways to qualify for Medicaid

    Disability-based Medicaid programs are not the only way to qualify for Medicaid. Most people who get Medicaid qualify through the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan (IHAWP), which has different rules and does not require you to have a disability. You or other members of your family may qualify under those rules, even if you don't qualify for one of the disability-based Medicaid programs explained here.

    Learn more in DB101's Iowa Health and Wellness Plan article.

    This article is about disability-based Medicaid and will help you understand:

    • If it is right for you
    • Other ways you may qualify for Medicaid
    • What services it covers
    • How much you will have to pay, and
    • How to sign up.

    If, after reading this article, you need more help in understanding disability-based Medicaid, we recommend you talk to trained experts who can help you. Here are some good resources:

    Highlights
    • There are several disability-based ways to get Medicaid in Iowa, including getting Medicaid automatically through SSI benefits.
    • You can get Medicaid and Medicare at the same time, if you qualify. If you have both, Medicaid will help pay your Part B premium.
    • If your resources increase so much that you no longer qualify for SSI, you may be able to qualify for Medicaid through the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan, which has no resource limit, or Medicaid for Employed People with Disabilities (MEPD), which has a higher resource limit.
    • If your disability does not qualify you for Medicaid, you may be able to qualify for Medicaid through the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan, which has no disability requirement.

    Note: DB101 keeps track of changes to health coverage and related laws. DB101 has been and will continue to be updated to reflect any changes. Visit KFF for news related to health coverage.


    Learn more

    Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

    SSI helps people with disabilities and seniors who have low income and resources.

    Medicare

    Medicare is public health coverage for people with disabilities and seniors.

    Medicaid for Employed People with Disabilities (MEPD)

    MEPD is Medicaid for people with disabilities who work.