Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling in Iowa. Trained counselors go through your costs and choices with you, and they don't sell plans.
Medicare and health costs
Iowa Medicaid in Iowa
Iowa Medicaid can pay health costs Medicare doesn't for people 65 and older with low income and savings.
If you get SSI you are automatically eligible, and if your income is too high, Iowa's Medically Needy (spend-down) program may cover you once your medical bills use up most of your income. Help at home is available through the elderly waiver and PACE.
How to apply in Iowa
- By phone
- 1-855-889-7985
- In person
- At any local Iowa HHS office. You can also mail, email or fax a completed application to a local HHS office.
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify in Iowa
| One person | Married couple | |
|---|---|---|
| Income limit (2026) | $994 a month (the SSI level) | $1,491 a month (the SSI level) Source: KFF (source 4) |
| Savings limit (2026) | $2,000 | $3,000 Source: KFF (source 4) |
| Spend-down if your income is over the limit | Yes: Medically Needy (the Spend Down Program) covers SSI-related people whose income is too high but whose medical costs use up most of it. Iowa figures the spend-down over a two-month period. Source: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (source 2) |
|---|---|
| Medicaid for adults under 65 (expansion) | Yes: adults 19 to 64 may qualify with income at or below 133% of the poverty level (Iowa Health and Wellness Plan) Source: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (source 1) |
How Iowa is different
Where Iowa's rules differ from the federal rules for Medicaid for people with Medicare.
- Spend-down (Medically Needy) available for people over the income limit
- Help at home through the HCBS elderly waiver
Source: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (source 1)
Good to know
- People who get SSI are automatically eligible for Iowa Medicaid.
- If you're moving to a nursing home and your income is too high, a Medical Assistance Income Trust (MAIT) may help you qualify.
Source: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (source 1)
Free help
Free help with this in Iowa
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Aging Services
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in Iowa
Medicaid for older adults in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Medicaid Eligibility (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, What is a Spend Down? (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Apply for Medicaid (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- KFF, Medicaid Eligibility Levels for Older Adults and People with Disabilities (Non-MAGI) in 2026. Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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