Ways to apply for Mississippi Medicaid
These are the channels Mississippi names on its own Medicaid pages. Use whichever is easiest.
- Online
-
Apply online
access.ms.gov
- By phone
- Call 800-421-2408
- In person
- At a local agency office.
- HealthCare.gov
- You can also apply at HealthCare.gov any time of year. If anyone in your household looks eligible for Medicaid, it sends your information to Mississippi's agency.
- 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 194% FPL ($50,090 for a family of three in 2025).
- Children 0-5 eligible up to 209% FPL ($53,960 for a family of three).
- Parents eligible up to 26% FPL only, no expansion adult category.
- Postpartum Medicaid extended to 12 months (effective 2023-04-01).
Mississippi Medicaid, topic by topic
Eligibility
Income limits & who qualifies
Mississippi Medicaid covers pregnant women up to 194% of the federal poverty line ($50,090 annual income for a family of three in 2025).
How to apply
How to apply step by step
Apply online at access.ms.gov or call 800-421-2408.
Doula coverage
Doula coverage details
Mississippi Medicaid does not currently cover doula services through Medicaid; state advocacy for a State Plan Amendment is ongoing.
Postpartum extension
12-month postpartum status
Mississippi Medicaid extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, effective 2023-04-01.
Pregnant women
Pregnancy coverage in full
Mississippi Medicaid covers pregnancy-related care up to 194% of the federal poverty line (about $50,090 annual income for a family of thre…
Renewal
Annual renewal & unwinding
Mississippi Medicaid redetermines eligibility at least once every 12 months under 42 CFR 435.916. During the 2023+ unwinding, roughly 69% o…
For Black families
Roughly 395,000 Black residents are enrolled in Mississippi 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.
Mississippi is one of ten non-expansion states. The Mississippi Health Advocacy Program has documented that roughly 100,000 Mississippians fall into the coverage gap. House Bill 1725 (2024) passed the House but died in Senate conference: the closest expansion has come.
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/ms/.
More on Mississippi from Black Health
FQHCs
Federally Qualified Health Centers in Mississippi
Sliding-scale clinics that take Medicaid + help with applications.
Providers
Providers who accept Medicaid in Mississippi
Filter our directory to Mississippi by specialty.
Health data
Black Health outcomes in Mississippi
Maternal mortality, life expectancy, uninsured rate by race.
Sickle cell
Medicaid gene-therapy coverage in Mississippi
Does Mississippi Medicaid cover Casgevy + Lyfgenia? SCDAA chapter, comprehensive centers.
Hospitals
Safety-net hospitals in Mississippi
CMS ratings, Medicaid-accepting hospitals, and which facilities anchor care for Black patients.
Tool
Medicaid eligibility pre-check for Mississippi
Household size and income, in about a minute. Direct link to Mississippi’s apply portal.
WIC
WIC in Mississippi
Adjunctive WIC eligibility for everyone on Mississippi Medicaid, monthly food package + Cash-Value Benefit.
SNAP
SNAP (food stamps) in Mississippi
Federal food assistance: FY 2025 max benefits, ABAWD rules, application URL for Mississippi.
TANF
TANF cash assistance in Mississippi
Mississippi’s maximum monthly TANF cash benefit, time limits, and how to apply.
Data sources
- Mississippi 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