Food stamps (SNAP) and Medicaid in Nevada
Nevada's Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS) runs both. They're separate applications, but one life event — losing a job, losing income — opens the door to both at once.
What to do first
1. Apply through Nevada DWSS, or Nevada Health Link for Medicaid. You can
apply for SNAP and Medicaid in the same sitting; they don't share one form, but they share most
of the same income paperwork.
2. Losing a job is a qualifying event. You don't have to wait for an open
enrollment window — apply as soon as your income drops.
3. Check the income line before assuming you don't qualify. SNAP has two
tests, and a household with an elderly or disabled member skips the gross-income test
entirely. See the real numbers below.
The real income lines, 2026
| Household size | SNAP gross (130% FPG) | SNAP net (100% FPG) | Medicaid expansion (138% FPG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $20,748 | $15,960 | $22,025 |
| 2 | $28,132 | $21,640 | $29,863 |
| 3 | $35,516 | $27,320 | $37,702 |
| 4 | $42,900 | $33,000 | $45,540 |
| Each additional person | +$7,384 | +$5,680 | +$7,838 |
2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines, Federal Register 2026-00755, effective 2026-01-13, read 2026-10-20. SNAP gross test: 7 U.S.C. 2014(c) — no gross test if the household has an elderly or disabled member. Medicaid expansion: 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(VIII), 138% figure includes the 5-point disregard under (e)(14)(I).
Programs and help that apply
Nevada DWSS — SNAP and most Nevada Medicaid applications.
Nevada Health Link — Medicaid special enrollment after a
qualifying life event like a job loss.
211 — if you need food today while an application is
pending.
Not yet read by this desk: Nevada's specific Medicaid income ceilings for children, pregnancy
and parents (these live in the State Plan, not statute or regulation), the current SNAP
allotment table, and the exact application channel and office locations. The income lines
above are exact; those pieces are not yet published here.