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New York Medicaid for pregnant women

Who qualifies for New York Medicaid, the income limit for your household size, what it covers and how to apply with New York State Department of Health.

Limits as of January 2026 · Checked October 2026 · 25 sources

Apply for New York Medicaid

New York State Department of Health runs it. We're not the state agency, so you apply with them, online or with help from your clinic or hospital.

Start your application

Opens health.ny.gov

Check your income against the limit

Short answer

In New York, you qualify for pregnancy Medicaid if your household earns up to 223% of the poverty level: about $48,257 a year for a household of two (you and the baby). Coverage lasts 12 months after birth. A qualified clinic or hospital can enroll you the same day.

New York pregnancy Medicaid income limits for 2026

Find your household size and compare your household's income with the limit. New York Medicaid covers pregnancy up to 223% of the federal poverty level.

New York Medicaid income limits2026 guidelines, 48 states and DC
HouseholdPer yearPer month
2you + 1 baby$48,257$4,021
3$60,924$5,077
4$73,590$6,133
5$86,256$7,188
6$98,923$8,244
7$111,589$9,299
8$124,256$10,355

Annual and monthly household income. See the 2026 poverty guidelines

Your baby counts

For Medicaid, a pregnant woman's family size counts her plus the number of children she is expected to deliver (42 CFR 435.603(b)). A household of three in New York, two adults expecting one baby, can earn up to $60,924 a year ($27,320 × 223%).

Limits are percents of the poverty level from KFF and Georgetown CCF (January 2026) and include the standard 5-point income disregard. New York rounds and updates on its own schedule, so treat the dollars as approximate.

Sources: KFF State Health Facts; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Federal Register); eCFR (National Archives). Data as of October 2026.

How to apply in New York

  1. Count your household

    Count yourself plus each baby you're expecting, and anyone else the state counts with you. Find your size in the table above.

  2. Apply with New York State Department of Health

    Apply on the state's site (health.ny.gov). Go to the New York Medicaid application

  3. Ask for same-day coverage

    At your first prenatal visit, ask whether the clinic can enroll you through presumptive eligibility while your application is processed.

  4. Keep your coverage after birth

    New York Medicaid covers you for 12 months after the pregnancy ends.

Get covered today

Yes

Presumptive eligibility lets a qualified clinic or hospital enroll a pregnant person in temporary Medicaid right away, while the full application is processed.

New York uses it for pregnancy. Ask at your first prenatal visit whether the clinic can enroll you.

Source: KFF and Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. Data as of January 2025.

12 months

of New York Medicaid coverage after birth, since March 1, 2023

KFF postpartum tracker, July 2026

What New York Medicaid covers for pregnancy

Coverage after birth, plus the three extras people ask about most, each from our state-by-state trackers.

After birth

12 months
New York Medicaid keeps covering you for 12 months after the pregnancy ends, a rule in place since March 1, 2023.
Postpartum coverage in every state

Doula care

Yes
In New York, Medicaid covers doula care: up to $1,500 per pregnancy for 8 prenatal or postpartum visits, plus support during labor and delivery.We list 1,273 doulas in New York. 403 are New York Medicaid enrolled (NYS Medicaid Fee-for-Service Doula Directory).
Doulas in New YorkDoula coverage in every state

Lactation support

Yes
In New York, Medicaid pays for lactation counseling by licensed clinicians who hold a lactation certification such as IBCLC, but unlicensed lactation consultants can't bill.
Lactation consultants in New YorkLactation coverage in every state

Breast pump

Yes
In New York, Medicaid covers a manual or standard electric breast pump once every three years with a practitioner's order and supplier authorization.
Breast pump rules in New York and every state

What's changing

Rules that affect pregnancy coverage in New York now and in 2027.

Sources: U.S. Government Publishing Office; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; KFF and Georgetown University Center for Children and Families

More for families in New York

All 50 states and DC

Questions about pregnancy Medicaid in New York

What is the income limit for pregnancy Medicaid in New York?

New York Medicaid covers pregnancy for household incomes up to 223% of the federal poverty level. At the 2026 guidelines that's about $48,257 a year for a household of two, $60,924 for three and $73,590 for four. Limits are KFF's figures as of January 2026.

Does my unborn baby count in my household size?

Yes. For Medicaid, a pregnant woman's family size counts her plus the number of children she is expected to deliver (42 CFR 435.603(b)). A single pregnant woman expecting one baby is a household of two; expecting twins, a household of three.

How long does New York Medicaid cover you after birth?

12 months after the pregnancy ends, a rule in place since March 1, 2023.

Can I get covered the same day in New York?

Yes. New York uses presumptive eligibility for pregnancy, so a qualified clinic or hospital can enroll you in temporary Medicaid the same day while your full application is processed.

How do I apply for pregnancy Medicaid in New York?

Apply with New York State Department of Health at health.ny.gov. Count yourself plus each baby you're expecting as your household, and compare your income with the limit for that size. We're not the state agency and can't take applications.

Does New York Medicaid pay for a doula?

In New York, Medicaid covers doula care: up to $1,500 per pregnancy for 8 prenatal or postpartum visits, plus support during labor and delivery.

Do pregnant women have to meet the new Medicaid work requirements?

Public Law 119-21 (2025) requires states to apply Medicaid work (community engagement) requirements to expansion adults ages 19-64 starting no later than January 1, 2027 (states may start earlier; HHS may grant good-faith exemptions that end by December 31, 2028). People who are pregnant or entitled to postpartum coverage are exempt, as are parents and caretakers of a dependent child 13 or younger.

We're not New York State Department of Health and can't tell you whether you qualify. Apply at health.ny.gov for a decision. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the state's own notice.

Sources

  1. 1.Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Limits for Pregnant Women as a Percent of the Federal Poverty Level (as of January 2026) KFF State Health Facts. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  2. 2.Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, and Renewal Policies as States Prepare for Major Medicaid Policy Changes (Table 2, January 2026) KFF and Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  3. 3.Medicaid Postpartum Coverage Extension Tracker (as of July 15, 2026) KFF. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  4. 4.Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, and Renewal Policies as States Resume Routine Operations Following the Unwinding (Table 7: Presumptive Eligibility, January 2025) KFF and Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  5. 5.New York Medicaid: how to apply New York State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  6. 6.CMS approval of New York State Plan Amendment NY-23-0006 (12-month postpartum coverage), effective 2023-03-01 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  7. 7.Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines (91 FR 1797, Jan. 15, 2026) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Federal Register). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  8. 8.42 CFR 435.603(b), definition of family size eCFR (National Archives). Accessed October 9, 2026.
Show all 25 sources
  1. 9.Public Law 119-21, sec. 71119: Requirement for States to Establish Medicaid Community Engagement Requirements (adds SSA sec. 1902(xx)) U.S. Government Publishing Office. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  2. 10.SHO #26-001: Implementation of Section 71109 "Alien Medicaid Eligibility" (April 8, 2026) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  3. 11.42 CFR 447.56(a)(2)(ii), exemptions from Medicaid cost sharing: pregnancy-related services eCFR / Code of Federal Regulations.
  4. 12.Doula Medicaid Project: state-by-state chart of doula Medicaid efforts (last updated Sep. 2026) National Health Law Program (NHeLP). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  5. 13.Doula Services: Information for Medicaid Members New York State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  6. 14.Doula Provider Enrollment and Billing New York State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  7. 15.Doula Services Provider Policy Manual (March 2026) New York State Medicaid (eMedNY). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  8. 16.Doula Services Fee Schedule New York State Medicaid (eMedNY). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  9. 17.Statewide Standing Order for Doula Services (reissued June 10, 2026) New York State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  10. 18.New York SPA 24-0003: Preventive health services provided by doulas CMS (Medicaid.gov). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  11. 19.State Trends in Medicaid Coverage of Doula Services (published April 1, 2026; data as of March 2026) National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  12. 20.Expanded List of Lactation Services Certifications: Breastfeeding Support Authorized for Payment (NYS Medicaid Update, June 2022) New York State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  13. 21.Fee-for-Service Medicaid: Breastfeeding Support Payment for Specially Trained Lactation Counselors (NYS Medicaid Update, March 2013) New York State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  14. 22.Medicaid Coverage of Pregnancy-Related Services: Findings from a 2021 State Survey KFF. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  15. 23.Coverage Guidelines, Medical Supplies: Provider Coverage & Procedure Manual eMedNY / New York State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  16. 24.DME Procedure Codes & Coverage Guidelines eMedNY / New York State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  17. 25.DMEPOS Policy Manual eMedNY / New York State Department of Health. Accessed October 9, 2026.