Guide · Clark County
Nevada Medicaid requirements in Las Vegas: who qualifies, income limits and what to bring
Medicaid has no enrollment window, so you can apply any time. For the adult expansion group, the monthly income limit is 138% of the federal poverty level, which is $1,836 for one person.
Updated November 1, 2026 at 2:23 PM
You can apply for Nevada Medicaid any time. There is no enrollment window, so apply as soon as your income drops.
For the adult expansion group, the main requirement is monthly household income at or under 138% of the federal poverty level (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(VIII)). That 138% figure includes a 5-point disregard.
Medicaid expansion income limits, per month
1 person: $1,836. 2 people: $2,489. 3 people: $3,142. 4 people: $3,795. Add $653 for each additional person.
These limits come from the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, effective January 13, 2026.
Limits for children, pregnancy and parents are not in the expansion chart above. Check with the state when you apply, or call 211.
Step by step: how to apply
1. Apply online through Access Nevada, run by the Division of Social Services (DSS, formerly DWSS). Medicaid itself is run by the Nevada Health Authority.
2. Do not use Nevada Health Link for Medicaid. Nevada Health Link is for private health plans, for people over the Medicaid income line.
3. Gather proof of income and identity. Bring pay stubs or a layoff letter, and ID for each person applying.
4. Apply for SNAP food benefits in the same sitting if you need them. SNAP and Medicaid are separate applications, but they share most of the same income paperwork.
5. If you apply for SNAP, apply the same day you decide to. The first month's SNAP benefit is prorated from the date you apply (7 U.S.C. 2017(c)). Medicaid has no such cutoff.
6. Keep a copy of the signed first page of anything you submit. Its date is your filing date.
If you are over the Medicaid line
If your income is above the limit, look at private plans through Nevada Health Link.
If you need food today while an application is pending, call 211.
Free help is available from the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada (lacsn.org) or by calling 211.