Iowa Medicaid
IA Health Link
Apply or call
IA Health Link covers pregnant women up to 380% of the federal poverty line — roughly $98,120 annual income for a family of three in 2025. The state adopted Medicaid expansion in 2014. Apply at https://dhsservices.iowa.gov/ or call 1-800-338-8366.
On maternal health specifically: IA Health Link has extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months (effective 2023-07-01), and does not cover doula services through Medicaid.
Iowa runs a Hawki (Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa) program as its CHIP, covering children up to 380% FPL. During the 2023 unwinding, Iowa disenrolled roughly 150,000 people — 68% for procedural reasons.
Key facts at a glance
- Pregnant women eligible up to 380% FPL ($98,120 for a family of three in 2025).
- Children 0-5 eligible up to 380% FPL ($98,120 for a family of three).
- Expansion adults eligible up to 138% FPL ($35,630 for a family of three).
- Postpartum Medicaid extended to 12 months (effective 2023-07-01).
Iowa Medicaid, topic by topic
Eligibility
Income limits & who qualifies
IA Health Link covers pregnant women up to 380% of the federal poverty line — $98,120 annual income for a family of three in 2025.
How to apply
How to apply step by step
Apply online at https://dhsservices.iowa.gov/ or by phone at 1-800-338-8366. Federal law requires a 45-day decision on non-disability appli…
Doula coverage
Doula coverage details
IA Health Link does not currently cover doula services through Medicaid; state advocacy for a State Plan Amendment is ongoing.
Postpartum extension
12-month postpartum status
IA Health Link extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, effective 2023-07-01.
Pregnant women
Pregnancy coverage in full
IA Health Link covers pregnancy-related care up to 380% of the federal poverty line — about $98,120 annual income for a family of three in …
Renewal
Annual renewal & unwinding
IA Health Link redetermines eligibility at least once every 12 months under 42 CFR 435.916. During the 2023+ unwinding, roughly 69% of dise…
For Black families
Roughly 38,000 Black residents are enrolled in IA Health Link, 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.
Iowa runs a Hawki (Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa) program as its CHIP, covering children up to 380% FPL. During the 2023 unwinding, Iowa disenrolled roughly 150,000 people — 68% for procedural reasons.
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/ia/.
More on Iowa from Black Health
FQHCs
Federally Qualified Health Centers in Iowa
Sliding-scale clinics that take Medicaid + help with applications.
Providers
Providers who accept Medicaid in Iowa
Filter our directory to Iowa by specialty.
Health data
Black Health outcomes in Iowa
Maternal mortality, life expectancy, uninsured rate by race.
Data sources
- IA Health Link — 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: