Ways to apply for Kentucky Medicaid
These are the channels Kentucky names on its own Medicaid pages. Use whichever is easiest.
- Online
-
Apply online
kynect.ky.gov
- By phone
- Call (855) 306-8959
- By mail
- Get the paper application
- Decision time
- Federal rules give the state up to 45 days to decide, or 90 days if you apply based on a disability (42 CFR 435.912).
Read on the state's own pages, October 13, 2026.
Key facts at a glance
- Pregnant women eligible up to 200% FPL ($51,640 for a family of three in 2025).
- Children 0-5 eligible up to 200% FPL ($51,640 for a family of three).
- Expansion adults eligible up to 138% FPL ($35,630 for a family of three).
- Doula reimbursement: $1,150 per full perinatal package.
- Postpartum Medicaid extended to 12 months (effective 2022-04-01).
Kentucky Medicaid, topic by topic
Eligibility
Income limits & who qualifies
Kentucky Medicaid covers pregnant women up to 200% of the federal poverty line ($51,640 annual income for a family of three in 2025).
How to apply
How to apply step by step
Apply online at kynect.ky.gov or call (855) 306-8959.
Doula coverage
Doula coverage details
Kentucky Medicaid covers doula services at up to $1,150 per full perinatal package, effective 2024-01-01.
Postpartum extension
12-month postpartum status
Kentucky Medicaid extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, effective 2022-04-01.
Pregnant women
Pregnancy coverage in full
Kentucky Medicaid covers pregnancy-related care up to 200% of the federal poverty line (about $51,640 annual income for a family of three i…
Renewal
Annual renewal & unwinding
Kentucky Medicaid redetermines eligibility at least once every 12 months under 42 CFR 435.916. During the 2023+ unwinding, roughly 69% of d…
For Black families
Roughly 165,000 Black residents are enrolled in Kentucky Medicaid, 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.
Kentucky launched doula Medicaid coverage January 2024 under the Beshear administration, reimbursing up to $1,150 per perinatal package. Kentucky Birth Coalition supports Black birth workers across Louisville and Lexington.
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/ky/.
More on Kentucky from Black Health
FQHCs
Federally Qualified Health Centers in Kentucky
Sliding-scale clinics that take Medicaid + help with applications.
Providers
Providers who accept Medicaid in Kentucky
Filter our directory to Kentucky by specialty.
Health data
Black Health outcomes in Kentucky
Maternal mortality, life expectancy, uninsured rate by race.
Sickle cell
Medicaid gene-therapy coverage in Kentucky
Does Kentucky Medicaid cover Casgevy + Lyfgenia? SCDAA chapter, comprehensive centers.
Hospitals
Safety-net hospitals in Kentucky
CMS ratings, Medicaid-accepting hospitals, and which facilities anchor care for Black patients.
Tool
Medicaid eligibility pre-check for Kentucky
Household size and income, in about a minute. Direct link to Kentucky’s apply portal.
WIC
WIC in Kentucky
Adjunctive WIC eligibility for everyone on Kentucky Medicaid, monthly food package + Cash-Value Benefit.
SNAP
SNAP (food stamps) in Kentucky
Federal food assistance: FY 2025 max benefits, ABAWD rules, application URL for Kentucky.
TANF
TANF cash assistance in Kentucky
Kentucky’s maximum monthly TANF cash benefit, time limits, and how to apply.
Data sources
- Kentucky Medicaid — 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:
If you have Medicaid, the coverage on this page is the route to use first: it costs you nothing and it is what these programs exist for. If you are not covered yet, there is still a free option. Our directory of free and charitable clinics lists centers by state. The option below is self-pay and is not billed to Medicaid. It is here for readers who are between coverage or who prefer to pay out of pocket:
Sesame Care
See a doctor online today.
Same-day video visits from $34
See a doctor today