Can you get medicaid on unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
I just started getting unemployment benefits and I'm wondering if I can qualify for medicaid while receiving NYS Department of Labor payments? My job didn't have health insurance and now I'm worried about medical coverage. Does anyone know if unemployment income counts against medicaid eligibility or if there are special rules? I'm getting about $450 a week in benefits and not sure if that's too much to qualify.
12 comments
Join the conversation
CosmicCruiser
Yes, you can definitely apply for medicaid while on unemployment! The income limits for medicaid in NY are pretty reasonable - for a single person it's around $1,677 per month in 2025. Your $450/week ($1,800/month) might be close to the limit but you should still apply because they look at your situation holistically. Unemployment benefits do count as income but there are sometimes deductions they can apply.
0 coins
Mateo Hernandez
•Thanks that's really helpful! Do you know if I apply through the same ny.gov website where I do my weekly claims or is it separate?
0 coins
Aisha Khan
i think you apply through nystateofhealth.ny.gov not the same site as unemployment. when i was on unemployment last year i got approved for medicaid even though i was getting benefits. just make sure you report the unemployment income accurately when you apply
0 coins
Ethan Taylor
The process is actually pretty straightforward. You apply through NY State of Health (the marketplace website) and yes, you need to report your unemployment income. But here's the thing - if you're slightly over the medicaid income limit, you might qualify for subsidized health plans through the marketplace that could be very affordable. I'd definitely recommend applying because the worst they can say is no, and you might be surprised at what assistance is available.
0 coins
Yuki Ito
•This is exactly right. Even if you don't qualify for full medicaid, the essential plan in NY can be as low as $20/month if you're getting unemployment. I had a hard time reaching anyone at the health department to ask questions though - kept getting transferred around.
0 coins
Carmen Lopez
•If you're having trouble reaching the right people about medicaid questions, I actually used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to government agencies when I couldn't get anyone on the phone. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting nowhere.
0 coins
Andre Dupont
Wait I'm confused - doesn't getting any government benefits like unemployment make you ineligible for other benefits? I thought there was some rule about double dipping or something?? This is all so confusing and I don't want to mess up my unemployment claim by applying for medicaid.
0 coins
CosmicCruiser
No no, that's not how it works at all! Unemployment and medicaid are completely separate programs run by different agencies. Getting unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor doesn't disqualify you from medicaid - they're designed to work together to help people who are between jobs. You won't mess up your UI claim by applying for health coverage.
0 coins
Andre Dupont
•Oh thank god, I was really worried about that! I've been putting off going to the doctor because I can't afford it without insurance.
0 coins
QuantumQuasar
just applied for both when i lost my job in december. got approved for medicaid within like 2 weeks and it backdated to when i applied. unemployment took longer to kick in but having the health coverage was such a relief
0 coins
Lucas Lindsey
Just wanted to add that when you apply for medicaid while on unemployment, make sure to have your award letter from DOL handy - they'll want to see proof of your weekly benefit amount. Also, if your unemployment runs out and you're still looking for work, you can update your medicaid application to reflect the income change, which might make you eligible for even more coverage. The income limits change every year so it's worth checking even if you think you make too much!
0 coins
Chloe Martin
•That's really good advice about having the award letter ready! I just applied for unemployment last week and haven't gotten my first payment yet - should I wait until I actually start receiving the benefits to apply for medicaid, or can I apply now based on the expected weekly amount? I'm eager to get health coverage as soon as possible but don't want to give wrong information on the application.
0 coins