Virginia Medicaid
Cardinal Care
Apply or call
Cardinal Care covers pregnant women up to 205% of the federal poverty line — roughly $52,930 annual income for a family of three in 2025. The state adopted Medicaid expansion in 2019. Apply at https://commonhelp.virginia.gov/ or call 1-855-242-8282.
On maternal health specifically: Cardinal Care has extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months (effective 2022-07-01), and covers doula services through Medicaid at up to $959 per full perinatal package (effective 2022-04-01).
Virginia adopted expansion in the 2018 budget compromise between Governor Northam and a Republican legislature; coverage began January 2019. Doula services were added April 2022 under HB 1920 (2020), reimbursing up to $959 per perinatal package. Birth in Color RVA serves Black birthing people across Richmond and Hampton Roads.
Key facts at a glance
- Pregnant women eligible up to 205% FPL ($52,930 for a family of three in 2025).
- Children 0-5 eligible up to 148% FPL ($38,210 for a family of three).
- Expansion adults eligible up to 138% FPL ($35,630 for a family of three).
- Doula reimbursement: $959 per full perinatal package.
- Postpartum Medicaid extended to 12 months (effective 2022-07-01).
Virginia Medicaid, topic by topic
Eligibility
Income limits & who qualifies
Cardinal Care covers pregnant women up to 205% of the federal poverty line — $52,930 annual income for a family of three in 2025.
How to apply
How to apply step by step
Apply online at https://commonhelp.virginia.gov/ or by phone at 1-855-242-8282. Federal law requires a 45-day decision on non-disability ap…
Doula coverage
Doula coverage details
Cardinal Care covers doula services at up to $959 per full perinatal package, effective 2022-04-01.
Postpartum extension
12-month postpartum status
Cardinal Care extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, effective 2022-07-01.
Pregnant women
Pregnancy coverage in full
Cardinal Care covers pregnancy-related care up to 205% of the federal poverty line — about $52,930 annual income for a family of three in 2…
Renewal
Annual renewal & unwinding
Cardinal Care redetermines eligibility at least once every 12 months under 42 CFR 435.916. During the 2023+ unwinding, roughly 69% of disen…
For Black families
Roughly 395,000 Black residents are enrolled in Cardinal Care, 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.
Virginia adopted expansion in the 2018 budget compromise between Governor Northam and a Republican legislature; coverage began January 2019. Doula services were added April 2022 under HB 1920 (2020), reimbursing up to $959 per perinatal package. Birth in Color RVA serves Black birthing people across Richmond and Hampton Roads.
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/va/.
More on Virginia from Black Health
FQHCs
Federally Qualified Health Centers in Virginia
Sliding-scale clinics that take Medicaid + help with applications.
Providers
Providers who accept Medicaid in Virginia
Filter our directory to Virginia by specialty.
Health data
Black Health outcomes in Virginia
Maternal mortality, life expectancy, uninsured rate by race.
Data sources
- Cardinal Care — 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: