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Medicare and health costs

Alaska Medicaid in Alaska

Alaska Medicaid can pay health costs Medicare doesn't for Alaskans 65 and older with low income and savings.

Checked

From the Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance
An older woman in her kitchen reads a letter from the day's mail

For older adults it is tied to Adult Public Assistance (APA): people who get APA or SSI get Medicaid automatically, and Alaska's income limit for this Medicaid is higher than most states'. Nursing-home care and home-care waivers have their own, higher income limit.

How to apply in Alaska

Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.

Apply on the official site

Who may qualify in Alaska

Who may qualify for Alaska Medicaid
One personMarried couple
Income limit (2026)$1,845 a month$2,732 a month

Source: Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance (source 1)

Savings limit (2026)$2,000$3,000

Source: Alaska Department of Health (source 2)

Spend-down if your income is over the limitNo

Source: KFF (source 5)

Income limit for nursing-home or home-care Medicaid (2026)$2,982 a month, for nursing-home care and home and community-based waivers

Source: Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance (source 1)

Medicaid for adults under 65 (expansion)Yes: adults 19 to 64 may qualify with income up to $2,212 a month for one person (133% of Alaska's poverty level, from April 2026)

Source: Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance (source 1)

How Alaska is different

Where Alaska's rules differ from the federal rules for Medicaid for people with Medicare.

  • Higher income limit than SSI: $1,845 a month for one person in 2026, through Alaska's Adult Public Assistance rules

Source: Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance (source 1)

Good to know

  • People who get Adult Public Assistance or SSI are automatically eligible for Medicaid. People with income above the APA payment standard ($1,356 a month for one person living on their own in 2026) but under Alaska's 'expanded refused cash' limit may still get Medicaid without the APA cash.
  • You must apply for other benefits you may qualify for, such as Social Security, pensions or VA benefits.

Sources: Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance (source 3), Alaska Department of Health (source 2)

Free help

Free help with this in Alaska

More help in Alaska

Medicaid for older adults in another state

Sources

  1. Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance, Medicaid Income Eligibility Standards (revised 04/26) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
  2. Alaska Department of Health, Adult Public Assistance (APA) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
  3. Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance, Aged, Disabled and Long Term Care Medicaid Manual, 500 Overview (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
  4. Alaska Department of Health, Apply for Medicaid (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
  5. KFF, Medicaid Eligibility Levels for Older Adults and People with Disabilities (Non-MAGI) in 2026. Checked Oct 28, 2026.

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