West Virginia State Health Insurance Assistance Program (WV SHIP)
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling in West Virginia. Trained counselors go through your costs and choices with you, and they don't sell plans.
Medicare and health costs
West Virginia Medicaid in West Virginia
West Virginia Medicaid covers people 65 and older through its SSI-Related groups and can pay health costs Medicare doesn't.
You may qualify with income at the SSI level and savings up to $2,000, and West Virginia never denies an SSI-Related case for excess income alone: medical bills over a six-month period can be used to spend down. Nursing-home Medicaid has a higher income limit.
How to apply in West Virginia
Applying is free. Nobody should charge you to apply.
Apply on the official siteWho may qualify in West Virginia
| One person | Married couple | |
|---|---|---|
| Income limit (2026) | $994 a month (the SSI payment level) | $1,491 a month (the SSI payment level) Source: West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance (source 1) |
| Savings limit | $2,000 | $3,000 Source: West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance (source 1) |
| Spend-down if your income is over the limit | Yes: you may qualify once medical bills bring your income down to $200 a month for one person or $275 for two ($1,200 / $1,650 over a six-month period) Source: West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance (source 1) |
|---|---|
| Income limit for nursing-home Medicaid (2026) | $2,982 a month (300% of the SSI payment level); above that, spend-down may still apply Source: West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance (source 1) |
| Medicaid for adults under 65 (expansion) | Yes: West Virginia expanded Medicaid to low-income adults under 65 Source: KFF (source 2) |
How West Virginia is different
Where West Virginia's rules differ from the federal rules for Medicaid for people with Medicare.
- Spend-down available for people over the income limit, figured over six months
Source: West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance (source 1)
Free help
Free help with this in West Virginia
Bureau of Senior Services
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in West Virginia
Medicaid for older adults in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- 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
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance, West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual (Chapters 1, 4 and 23) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- KFF, Status of State Medicaid Expansion Decisions. Checked Oct 28, 2026.
Was this page helpful?
Report an error on this page
Newsletter
Get an email when the rules change
Benefit figures, deadlines and rules change every year. We'll tell you what changed and what to check, about twice a month.
- Free, about twice a month
- One-click unsubscribe in every email
- We never sell or share your email