2026 income limits

BadgerCare Plus Income Limits 2026: Wisconsin Medicaid Charts by Family Size

Quick answer: Wisconsin has not taken the ACA's 138% FPL expansion, so there is no 138% FPL adult ceiling. The only adult standard in the national table is the parents and caretaker relatives category — roughly 100% FPL. Children and pregnant women qualify at much higher levels. The chart below lists the Wisconsin Medicaid income requirements and guidelines for 2026 — all effective cutoffs including the 5% MAGI disregard, computed from the official 2026 FPL table (ASPE / Federal Register). State standards are from the CMS national eligibility table, as of 2023-12-01.

BadgerCare Plus is the Wisconsin Medicaid program. The 2026 BadgerCare Plus income limits are the figures on this page, shown as both the state percentages and dollar charts by household size.

Verification: All figures come from the CMS national eligibility table (2023-12-01 snapshot): children 301/186/151% by age band, separate CHIP 301% (ages 1-19), pregnant 301%, adults 95% (footnote 9: state-plan/1115 coverage of additional low-income adults). Wisconsin's adult coverage is not the ACA expansion group; the 2027 federal work requirement does not apply.

Adults & parents (BadgerCare Plus — not the ACA expansion) — 2026 income limits

100% FPL effective

Adults & parents (BadgerCare Plus — not the ACA expansion) income limits 2026: 100% of the federal poverty level — about $1,330/month for a household of 1 and $2,750/month for a family of 4.

2026 Wisconsin monthly income limits for Adults & parents (BadgerCare Plus — not the ACA expansion), from a household of 1 to a family of 8. Effective cutoffs including the 5% MAGI disregard.
Household	Family of 1	Family of 2	Family of 3	Family of 4	Family of 5	Family of 6	Family of 7	Family of 8
Monthly income limit	$1,330	$1,803	$2,277	$2,750	$3,223	$3,697	$4,170	$4,643

Base standard 95% FPL + 5% MAGI disregard = 100% effective. Larger households: add roughly $473/month per additional person.

Wisconsin covers adults — including childless adults — up to 100% FPL under BadgerCare Plus (state plan with 1115 history, per footnote 9 of the CMS national table). This is NOT the ACA expansion group: the 2027 federal work requirement does not apply. Parents above 100% FPL do not qualify; marketplace subsidies begin at 100% FPL, so there is no coverage gap.

Children 0-1 (Medicaid) — 2026 income limits

306% FPL effective

Children 0-1 (Medicaid) income limits 2026: 306% of the federal poverty level — about $4,070/month for a household of 1 and $8,415/month for a family of 4.

2026 Wisconsin monthly income limits for Children 0-1 (Medicaid), from a household of 1 to a family of 8. Effective cutoffs including the 5% MAGI disregard.
Household	Family of 1	Family of 2	Family of 3	Family of 4	Family of 5	Family of 6	Family of 7	Family of 8
Monthly income limit	$4,070	$5,518	$6,967	$8,415	$9,863	$11,312	$12,760	$14,209

Base standard 301% FPL + 5% MAGI disregard = 306% effective. Larger households: add roughly $1,448/month per additional person.

Medicaid coverage for infants. No premiums and no asset test.

Children 1-5 (Medicaid) — 2026 income limits

191% FPL effective

Children 1-5 (Medicaid) income limits 2026: 191% of the federal poverty level — about $2,540/month for a household of 1 and $5,253/month for a family of 4.

2026 Wisconsin monthly income limits for Children 1-5 (Medicaid), from a household of 1 to a family of 8. Effective cutoffs including the 5% MAGI disregard.
Household	Family of 1	Family of 2	Family of 3	Family of 4	Family of 5	Family of 6	Family of 7	Family of 8
Monthly income limit	$2,540	$3,444	$4,348	$5,253	$6,157	$7,061	$7,965	$8,869

Base standard 186% FPL + 5% MAGI disregard = 191% effective. Larger households: add roughly $904/month per additional person.

Medicaid coverage for children 1-5. No premiums and no asset test.

Children 6-18 (Medicaid) — 2026 income limits

156% FPL effective

Children 6-18 (Medicaid) income limits 2026: 156% of the federal poverty level — about $2,075/month for a household of 1 and $4,290/month for a family of 4.

2026 Wisconsin monthly income limits for Children 6-18 (Medicaid), from a household of 1 to a family of 8. Effective cutoffs including the 5% MAGI disregard.
Household	Family of 1	Family of 2	Family of 3	Family of 4	Family of 5	Family of 6	Family of 7	Family of 8
Monthly income limit	$2,075	$2,813	$3,552	$4,290	$5,028	$5,767	$6,505	$7,244

Base standard 151% FPL + 5% MAGI disregard = 156% effective. Larger households: add roughly $738/month per additional person.

Medicaid coverage for children 6-18. No premiums and no asset test.

Children (separate CHIP — Wisconsin CHIP) — 2026 income limits

306% FPL effective

Children (separate CHIP — Wisconsin CHIP) income limits 2026: 306% of the federal poverty level — about $4,070/month for a household of 1 and $8,415/month for a family of 4.

2026 Wisconsin monthly income limits for Children (separate CHIP — Wisconsin CHIP), from a household of 1 to a family of 8. Effective cutoffs including the 5% MAGI disregard.
Household	Family of 1	Family of 2	Family of 3	Family of 4	Family of 5	Family of 6	Family of 7	Family of 8
Monthly income limit	$4,070	$5,518	$6,967	$8,415	$9,863	$11,312	$12,760	$14,209

Base standard 301% FPL + 5% MAGI disregard = 306% effective. Larger households: add roughly $1,448/month per additional person.

Separate CHIP coverage for children ages 1 up to 19 above the Medicaid children's ceiling, per the CMS national table. Benefits match Medicaid; small copays may apply for some services, under the Wisconsin CHIP name.

Pregnant women — 2026 income limits

306% FPL effective

Pregnant women income limits 2026: 306% of the federal poverty level — about $4,070/month for a household of 1 and $8,415/month for a family of 4.

2026 Wisconsin monthly income limits for Pregnant women, from a household of 1 to a family of 8. Effective cutoffs including the 5% MAGI disregard.
Household	Family of 1	Family of 2	Family of 3	Family of 4	Family of 5	Family of 6	Family of 7	Family of 8
Monthly income limit	$4,070	$5,518	$6,967	$8,415	$9,863	$11,312	$12,760	$14,209

Base standard 301% FPL + 5% MAGI disregard = 306% effective. Larger households: add roughly $1,448/month per additional person.

Count the expected child(ren) in household size. Federal law guarantees 12 months of postpartum coverage. No asset test.

Wisconsin publishes MAGI standards as a percent of FPL and applies the federal 5-percentage-point income disregard when it makes someone eligible, so each group has a base standard and a slightly higher effective cutoff. The tables below show the effective figures in dollars, computed from the official 2026 federal poverty guidelines. Wisconsin's adult group (95% base / 100% effective) covers childless adults as well as parents — it is not the ACA expansion group, so the 2027 federal work requirement does not apply in Wisconsin.

MAGI household size follows federal tax-filing relationships, not who lives under your roof - and a pregnant applicant counts the expected child(ren).

What does 138% of FPL mean? The federal poverty chart, by household size →Medicaid income limits in every state →Wisconsin Medicaid work requirements 2027: hours, exemptions & timeline → Check your 2027 work-requirement compliance paths →Wisconsin Medicaid exemptions — run the self-check →On irregular income? The $580/month alternative →When every state's work requirement starts →If coverage ends: ranked fallbacks →State tracker: enforcement dates & disenrollment data →

Frequently asked questions

What is the Wisconsin Medicaid income limit in 2026?

It depends on the coverage group. Wisconsin has not taken the ACA's 138% FPL expansion, so there is no 138% FPL adult ceiling. The only adult standard in the national table is the parents and caretaker relatives category — roughly 100% FPL. Children and pregnant women qualify at much higher levels.

What income is too high for Medicaid in Wisconsin?

There is no single number — every coverage group has its own ceiling. In Wisconsin, adults have no expansion ceiling; the parents and caretakers standard runs to roughly 100% FPL. Children and pregnant women stay covered at much higher levels: children to 306% FPL and pregnant women to 306% FPL.

What is the income limit for Adults & parents in Wisconsin?

Adults & parents (BadgerCare Plus — not the ACA expansion): 100% of the federal poverty level, about $1,330/month for a household of one. Wisconsin covers adults — including childless adults — up to 100% FPL under BadgerCare Plus (state plan with 1115 history, per footnote 9 of the CMS national table). This is NOT the ACA expansion group: the 2027 federal work requirement does not apply. Parents above 100% FPL do not qualify; marketplace subsidies begin at 100% FPL, so there is no coverage gap.

What is the income limit for Children 0-1 in Wisconsin?

Children 0-1 (Medicaid): 306% of the federal poverty level, about $4,070/month for a household of one. Medicaid coverage for infants. No premiums and no asset test.

What is the income limit for Children 1-5 in Wisconsin?

Children 1-5 (Medicaid): 191% of the federal poverty level, about $2,540/month for a household of one. Medicaid coverage for children 1-5. No premiums and no asset test.

What is the income limit for Children 6-18 in Wisconsin?

Children 6-18 (Medicaid): 156% of the federal poverty level, about $2,075/month for a household of one. Medicaid coverage for children 6-18. No premiums and no asset test.

What is the income limit for Children in Wisconsin?

Children (separate CHIP — Wisconsin CHIP): 306% of the federal poverty level, about $4,070/month for a household of one. Separate CHIP coverage for children ages 1 up to 19 above the Medicaid children's ceiling, per the CMS national table. Benefits match Medicaid; small copays may apply for some services, under the Wisconsin CHIP name.

What are the Wisconsin Medicaid income limits for seniors (65 and older)?

The limits above are MAGI standards for children, pregnant women, parents and adults under 65. People 65 or older (and people with disabilities of any age) qualify under separate non-MAGI categories with their own dollar limits, which can include an asset test. Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) publishes those figures and makes the final determination.

What are the BadgerCare Plus income limits in 2026?

BadgerCare Plus is the Wisconsin Medicaid program. Its income limits are the ones on this page: Wisconsin has not taken the ACA's 138% FPL expansion, so there is no 138% FPL adult ceiling. The only adult standard in the national table is the parents and caretaker relatives category — roughly 100% FPL. Children and pregnant women qualify at much higher levels.

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Reviewed by Gavin YE, Technical Director, ClearRules Labs.

Page last reviewed 2026-09-21