Ways to apply for Cardinal Care
These are the channels Virginia names on its own Medicaid pages. Use whichever is easiest.
- Online
-
Apply online
commonhelp.virginia.gov
- By phone
- Call 1-855-242-8282
- In person
- Drop off a paper application at the local Department of Social Services. Find an office
- By mail
- Get the paper application
- 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 Virginia'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 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 commonhelp.virginia.gov or call 1-855-242-8282.
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 20…
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.
Sickle cell
Medicaid gene-therapy coverage in Virginia
Does Virginia Medicaid cover Casgevy + Lyfgenia? SCDAA chapter, comprehensive centers.
Hospitals
Safety-net hospitals in Virginia
CMS ratings, Medicaid-accepting hospitals, and which facilities anchor care for Black patients.
Tool
Medicaid eligibility pre-check for Virginia
Household size and income, in about a minute. Direct link to Virginia’s apply portal.
WIC
WIC in Virginia
Adjunctive WIC eligibility for everyone on Cardinal Care, monthly food package + Cash-Value Benefit.
SNAP
SNAP (food stamps) in Virginia
Federal food assistance: FY 2025 max benefits, ABAWD rules, application URL for Virginia.
TANF
TANF cash assistance in Virginia
Virginia’s maximum monthly TANF cash benefit, time limits, and how to apply.
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:
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