Which states have the most Medicaid recipients?

Millions of Americans receive Medicaid to cover their health care needs. 

This federal government program is also a huge source of funding for hospitals, community health centers, physicians, and nursing homes. 

RELATED: Medicaid changes could be coming: Here's what Republicans are considering

Recipients of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program vary by state, and here are the areas that have the most. 

States with the most Medicaid recipients

Big picture view:

The Kaiser Family Foundation noted in a 2024 Medicaid fact sheet that Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provide health care and long-term coverage to nearly 82 million low-income Americans, including children in the U.S.
 

1. New Mexico-33.5% Medicaid/CHIP recipients
2. Louisiana-32.4% Medicaid/CHIP recipients
3. New York 28.5% Medicaid/CHIP recipients
4. Kentucky-28.3% Medicaid/CHIP recipients
5. West Virginia 28.2% Medicaid/CHIP recipients
6. California 26.8% Medicaid/CHIP recipients

What is Medicaid?

Medicaid is nearly-free health care coverage offered to the poorest Americans. 

By the numbers:

According to the KFF, the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Medicaid expansion expanded Medicaid coverage to nearly all Americans with incomes up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level ($21,597 for an individual in 2025) and provided states with an enhanced federal matching rate (FMAP) for their expansion populations.

RELATED: States report Medicaid outage amid federal funding drama

To date, 41 states and Washington, D.C. have adopted the Medicaid expansion, and 10 states have not adopted the expansion. 

What is happening with Medicaid?

The other side:

Republicans are considering billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, with the GOP-controlled Congress seeking to implement a work requirement to receive Medicaid coverage, like the conditions required to receive food stamps, the Associated Press reported. 

Moreover, a top House Democratic super PAC published a release Tuesday criticizing Republicans over their proposed cuts to Medicaid, while claiming that the GOP are planning to make cuts to Medicaid to fund Elon Musk "and other billionaires" through tax breaks.

Dig deeper:

Cuts to Medicaid could prompt frustration from Americans, with just over half of adults saying the government spends "too little" on Medicaid. Only 15% say it’s spending "too much," according to a January Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.