Medicaid and CHIP child enrollee numbers October 2023, by state

In the state of California, there were approximately 5.2 million children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP insurance plans in October 2023. Additionally, Texas, Florida, and New York all had more than 2.5 million children enrolled in the programs. 

How many people are enrolled in Medicaid/CHIP?

State Medicaid programs provide medical coverage to millions of Americans, including children, pregnant women, and parents. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was introduced in 1997 to help uninsured children who were previously not eligible for Medicaid. The total number of individuals enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP was approximately 82.8 million in May 2021, and California has the largest state program.

How is income eligibility determined?

The Affordable Care Act established a new methodology to assess income eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP. The adoption of the Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) methodology helped to align eligibility rules that previously varied nationwide. In general, an individual’s eligibility is now determined by their MAGI and where it falls in relation to the federal poverty level (FPL). For Medicaid and CHIP plans across all states in 2021, the median upper income eligibility level for children was 255 percent of the FPL.