New law coming into effect will qualify me for Medicaid. Is that true?

Q) I’m a 41 year old full time college student living off my Pell grant. I have to have a biopsy done to see if I may or may not have lymphoma. I have applied to Obama Care and cannot afford the premiums or the deductible. When I go into my local Medicaid office they said because I do not have minor children in the home I would not qualify for Medicaid. When I called blue cross blue shield of Texas, they said with the new law coming into effect, that I should qualify for Medicaid now. Is that true?

A) Medicaid eligibility varies by state, so it’s best to check with your state’s Medicaid office to see if you qualify based on your specific circumstances. However, under the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), states have the option to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income adults under age 65 who are not pregnant and do not have children. This expansion is designed to help people like you who are not eligible for Medicaid based on traditional criteria but still have low incomes. As of 2021, 38 states and the District of Columbia have chosen to expand Medicaid. You can check with your state’s Medicaid office or healthcare.gov to see if your state has expanded Medicaid and what the eligibility requirements are.