FAFSA confusion: Does NY Child Health Plus count as Medicaid?

Yes, you should check 'yes' for Medicaid. Child Health Plus in NY is considered part of the CHIP program (Children's Health Insurance Program), which the FAFSA counts under the Medicaid category. The question is really trying to determine if you qualify for certain benefits that might make you eligible for the simplified needs test or auto-zero EFC/SAI calculation.

I had the same question last year!! I checked no because CHP isnt medicaid its different but my daughter still got financial aid so idk if it matters

I'm in NJ not NY but we have a similar program and my financial aid advisor told me to mark yes because these state children's health programs all fall under the CHIP umbrella which counts for FAFSA purposes

This is EXACTLY why the FAFSA is so infuriating!!! They ask these vague questions without explaining what actually counts under each category. How are regular people supposed to know that Child Health Plus = Medicaid for FAFSA purposes?? The whole system is designed to confuse people and prevent them from getting the financial aid they deserve. I bet thousands of families answer this wrong every year and lose out on aid they should qualify for. RIDICULOUS!

It's a bit confusing but if you check the FSA guidelines (Federal Student Aid), Child Health Plus is considered part of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which for FAFSA purposes is treated like Medicaid. The question is trying to identify if you qualify for the simplified needs test or auto-zero EFC/SAI calculation, which could mean you don't need to report certain assets. So yes, mark "yes" for Child Health Plus. By the way, if you're having trouble getting through to anyone at FSA to confirm this or any other FAFSA questions, I recently used a service called Claimyr that helped me skip the hold times when calling the Federal Student Aid helpline. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ and their website is claimyr.com. Saved me hours of waiting and I finally got my verification questions answered.

When i was filling out my daughters fafsa i just called the NY health department and asked them directly. they told me yes check the box if they have child health plus! better to get it from the source right?

Financial aid counselor here - yes, you absolutely should check the box for Medicaid if your student has NY Child Health Plus. Here's why: 1. Child Health Plus is part of CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) 2. CHIP is considered a "means-tested federal benefit program" for FAFSA purposes 3. Checking yes could qualify you for the Simplified Needs Test or Auto-Zero EFC/SAI 4. These FAFSA simplifications can significantly improve your aid package Many families incorrectly answer this question because the connection between Child Health Plus and Medicaid isn't obvious. The 2025-2026 FAFSA has made some improvements to the wording, but it's still catching people off guard.

Just wanted to add my experience for other NY families - I made this exact mistake two years ago and answered "no" for my son's Child Health Plus coverage. When I contacted our college's financial aid office about a discrepancy, they explained that CHP absolutely counts as Medicaid for FAFSA purposes. We had to submit a correction, but it actually increased his aid package by about $1,200 because we qualified for the simplified needs test. Don't make the same mistake I did - definitely check "yes" if your child has Child Health Plus!

As someone who just went through this process with my youngest, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - Child Health Plus absolutely counts as Medicaid for FAFSA purposes. I actually called the Federal Student Aid helpline to double-check this exact question last month, and they confirmed that any state CHIP program (including NY's Child Health Plus) should be marked as "yes" for the Medicaid question. What really helped me was keeping a list of all the benefit programs our family receives and cross-referencing them with the FSA's list of qualifying programs. The key thing to remember is that the FAFSA isn't asking about traditional Medicaid specifically - they're asking about any means-tested federal benefit programs, and CHIP falls under that umbrella. Better to be accurate and potentially qualify for additional aid than to second-guess yourself!

As a parent who just completed the FAFSA for the first time, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was literally staring at that same question yesterday wondering what to do about my son's Child Health Plus coverage. It's so frustrating that the FAFSA doesn't clearly explain that state CHIP programs count as Medicaid for their purposes - I almost answered "no" because I kept thinking "but it's not actually Medicaid." Reading everyone's experiences here, especially about the potential for simplified needs test qualification, makes me realize how important it is to get this right. I'm going back to change my answer to "yes" right now. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and helping confused parents like me navigate this process!

As someone who works in enrollment for a NY health plan, I can add some official clarity here. New York's Child Health Plus is indeed part of the federal Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which means it absolutely counts as a qualifying program for FAFSA's Medicaid question. The confusion comes from the fact that CHP operates as a separate program with its own branding, but it's federally funded through CHIP dollars. When the FAFSA asks about "Medicaid," they're really asking about any means-tested public benefit programs, including all state CHIP programs. I've seen too many families miss out on aid because they didn't realize this connection. Always check "yes" for Child Health Plus - it could be the difference between qualifying for additional federal aid or not!

This thread is a perfect example of why we need better FAFSA education resources! I just went through this same confusion with my twin daughters who both have Child Health Plus. After reading all these responses, I'm kicking myself because I answered "no" on both their applications thinking CHP wasn't "real" Medicaid. Now I'm wondering if I should file corrections - has anyone here successfully updated their FAFSA after submission to change this answer? I'm worried about the timing since some of their schools have early deadlines coming up. Also, for future families dealing with this, it might be worth noting that the NY State of Health website doesn't really make the CHIP/federal connection clear either, so don't feel bad if you're confused - even the state resources could do a better job explaining how these programs relate to federal financial aid!