District of Columbia Medicaid
DC Medicaid + DC Healthcare Alliance
Apply or call
DC Medicaid + DC Healthcare Alliance covers pregnant women up to 324% of the federal poverty line — roughly $83,660 annual income for a family of three in 2025. The state adopted Medicaid expansion in 2010. Apply at https://dcaccess.dc.gov/ or call 1-202-724-5506.
On maternal health specifically: DC Medicaid + DC Healthcare Alliance has extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months (effective 2022-04-01), and covers doula services through Medicaid at up to $900 per full perinatal package (effective 2023-04-01).
DC's Medicaid covers parents up to 221% of the federal poverty line and expansion adults up to 215% — the highest thresholds in the country. DC also operates the DC Healthcare Alliance, a locally funded program covering residents regardless of immigration status. Doula coverage launched April 2023 under the Postpartum Coverage Expansion Act of 2021.
Key facts at a glance
- Pregnant women eligible up to 324% FPL ($83,660 for a family of three in 2025).
- Children 0-5 eligible up to 324% FPL ($83,660 for a family of three).
- Expansion adults eligible up to 215% FPL ($55,510 for a family of three).
- Doula reimbursement: $900 per full perinatal package.
- Postpartum Medicaid extended to 12 months (effective 2022-04-01).
District of Columbia Medicaid, topic by topic
Eligibility
Income limits & who qualifies
DC Medicaid + DC Healthcare Alliance covers pregnant women up to 324% of the federal poverty line — $83,660 annual income for a family of t…
How to apply
How to apply step by step
Apply online at https://dcaccess.dc.gov/ or by phone at 1-202-724-5506. Federal law requires a 45-day decision on non-disability applicatio…
Doula coverage
Doula coverage details
DC Medicaid + DC Healthcare Alliance covers doula services at up to $900 per full perinatal package, effective 2023-04-01.
Postpartum extension
12-month postpartum status
DC Medicaid + DC Healthcare Alliance extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, effective 2022-04-01.
Pregnant women
Pregnancy coverage in full
DC Medicaid + DC Healthcare Alliance covers pregnancy-related care up to 324% of the federal poverty line — about $83,660 annual income for…
Renewal
Annual renewal & unwinding
DC Medicaid + DC Healthcare Alliance redetermines eligibility at least once every 12 months under 42 CFR 435.916. During the 2023+ unwindin…
For Black families
Roughly 135,000 Black residents are enrolled in DC Medicaid + DC Healthcare Alliance, per the most recent CMS T-MSIS analytic file. The number understates true eligibility: every state has Black eligibles who aren't currently enrolled, usually because of the administrative-churn rates that rose sharply during the 2023 unwinding.
DC's Medicaid covers parents up to 221% of the federal poverty line and expansion adults up to 215% — the highest thresholds in the country. DC also operates the DC Healthcare Alliance, a locally funded program covering residents regardless of immigration status. Doula coverage launched April 2023 under the Postpartum Coverage Expansion Act of 2021.
For enrollment help: look for your state's Navigator program (federally funded under the ACA), a Federally Qualified Health Center in your county (every FQHC has certified application counselors on staff), or one of the named community organizations below. Our FQHC directory filters to this state at /clinics/dc/.
More on District of Columbia from Black Health
FQHCs
Federally Qualified Health Centers in District of Columbia
Sliding-scale clinics that take Medicaid + help with applications.
Providers
Providers who accept Medicaid in District of Columbia
Filter our directory to District of Columbia by specialty.
Health data
Black Health outcomes in District of Columbia
Maternal mortality, life expectancy, uninsured rate by race.
Data sources
- DC Medicaid + DC Healthcare Alliance — state Medicaid portal.
- KFF State Health Facts, Medicaid income eligibility + expansion + enrollment tables (kff.org/statedata).
- National Health Law Program doula Medicaid project (healthlaw.org/doulamedicaidproject).
- March of Dimes Report Card, 12-month postpartum extension tracker (marchofdimes.org/report-card).
- CMS T-MSIS Analytic Files, Medicaid enrollment by race and ethnicity (medicaid.gov/dq-atlas).
- HHS Poverty Guidelines, 2025 Federal Register release.
Data refreshed: