Medicaid and CHIP reliance by state: 2026 study

Medicaid and CHIP reliance by state: 2026 study

With some Medicaid funds to Minnesota currently halted due to fraud investigations led by Vice President JD Vance and the White House, many individuals may be wondering if their benefits could be at stake next. Statistics show that up to 33% of the population in each state, including children, may be receiving Medicaid or CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) benefits as of October 2025. Even the most independent states from the Medicaid program are shown to have about 10% of their population enrolled in these benefits.

With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked the U.S. states based on the percentage of the population enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP, based on comparing October 2025 enrollment statistics to the latest population figures.

Key Findings

California and New York are the most dependent on Medicaid. Based on October 2025 figures and the latest Census Bureau population estimates, California is most dependent on Medicaid, with 33.1% of the population enrolled. New York follows with 32.7% enrollment. On average, 21.7% of a state's population is enrolled.These states have the lowest rates of Medicaid enrollment. Only 9.5% of Utah's residents are enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, the lowest rate nationwide. Wyoming (10.2%), New Hampshire (12.7%), North Dakota (13.2%), and Texas (13.3%) are also among the least dependent states.In Minnesota, 20.3% of the population is reportedly enrolled in Medicaid. Minnesota ranks 29th overall for the estimated rate of Medicaid participation, with 1,176,120 total beneficiaries as of October 2025. Managed care plans account for 83.3% of enrollees, and the average call center wait time for Medicaid services is just five minutes.Expect over an hour of Medicaid call center wait times in these states. Sorting out your Medicaid questions takes the longest in Nevada, where wait times average 71 minutes for the 22.7% of the population that is enrolled. In Idaho, those wait times also top out over an hour, with an average of 61 minutes, with 15.6% of the population is enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.About 3 in 4 Medicaid recipients use managed care plans. Across the states, the average managed care plan enrollment sits at 77.3%, with the remaining enrollees using Fee-for-Service (FFS) plans. On the extreme ends, Vermont, Hawai'i, and Nebraska have virtually full enrollment in managed care plans, while Idaho and Arkansas maintain roughly 95% of enrollees in an FFS plan.

Medicaid and CHIP Reliance by State

States are ranked based on the percentage of the population enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP programs as of October 2025.

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Medicaid and CHIP enrollment by State

States are ranked based on the percentage of the population enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP programs as of October 2025.

California

Percent of population enrolled: 33.13%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 13065328Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 96.0%Average call center wait time, minutes: 5

New York

Percent of population enrolled: 32.74%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 6504286Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 68.2%Average call center wait time, minute: 1

New Mexico

Percent of population enrolled: 32.27%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 687427Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 81.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 6

Louisiana

Percent of population enrolled: 30.91%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1421099Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 83.7%Average call center wait time, minutes: 3

Oregon

Percent of population enrolled: 30.52%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1303752Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 97.7%Average call center wait time, minute: 12

Kentucky

Percent of population enrolled: 29.38%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1347898Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 89.9%Average call center wait time, minutes: 0

Alaska

Percent of population enrolled: 28.62%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 211854Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minute: 19

West Virginia

Percent of population enrolled: 28.12%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 497764Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 76.4%Average call center wait time, minutes: 4

Rhode Island

Percent of population enrolled: 27.28%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 303480Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 84.1%Average call center wait time, minute: 11

Hawai'i

Percent of population enrolled: 26.96%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 389941Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 100.0%Average call center wait time, minutes: 42

Arkansas

Percent of population enrolled: 26.17%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 808325Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 5.3%Average call center wait time, minutes: 8

North Carolina

Percent of population enrolled: 25.94%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 2865323Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 79.1%Average call center wait time, minutes: 0

Connecticut

Percent of population enrolled: 24.81%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 911816Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minute: 19

Maine

Percent of population enrolled: 24.18%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 339689Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minute: 10

Oklahoma

Percent of population enrolled: 24.15%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 989060Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 54.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 31

Illinois

Percent of population enrolled: 23.93%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 3041306Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 75.6%Average call center wait time, minute: 17

Vermont

Percent of population enrolled: 23.48%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 152275Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 100.0%Average call center wait time, minutes: 2

Ohio

Percent of population enrolled: 23.30%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 2768467Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 90.1%Average call center wait time, minutes: 3

Indiana

Percent of population enrolled: 23.08%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1598204Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 81.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 5

Delaware

Percent of population enrolled: 23.08%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 242745Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 84.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 2

Pennsylvania

Percent of population enrolled: 23.03%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 3012566Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 92.3%Average call center wait time, minute: 11

Nevada

Percent of population enrolled: 22.71%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 742058Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 74.4%Average call center wait time, minutes: 71

Arizona

Percent of population enrolled: 22.69%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1720153Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 78.7%Average call center wait time, minutes: 5

Michigan

Percent of population enrolled: 22.58%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 2289229Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 97.8%Average call center wait time, minute: 1

Washington

Percent of population enrolled: 22.47%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1787864Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 84.0%Average call center wait time, minute: 1

Maryland

Percent of population enrolled: 22.43%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1404754Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 94.5%Average call center wait time, minutes: 2

Massachusetts

Percent of population enrolled: 22.36%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1595952Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 45.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 2

Iowa

Percent of population enrolled: 20.57%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 666800Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 92.9%Average call center wait time, minutes: 0

Minnesota

Percent of population enrolled: 20.30%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1176120Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 83.3%Average call center wait time, minutes: 5

Mississippi

Percent of population enrolled: 20.07%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 590816Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 74.2%Average call center wait time, minutes: 0

Missouri

Percent of population enrolled: 20.07%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1253398Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 83.6%Average call center wait time, minute: 13

Colorado

Percent of population enrolled: 19.99%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1191047Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minutes: 6

Tennessee

Percent of population enrolled: 19.64%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1419653Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minutes: 0

Virginia

Percent of population enrolled: 19.14%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1686896Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 92.6%Average call center wait time, minute: 1

Wisconsin

Percent of population enrolled: 18.87%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1124746Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 66.9%Average call center wait time, minutes: 5

Montana

Percent of population enrolled: 18.55%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 210942Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minutes: 20

New Jersey

Percent of population enrolled: 18.38%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1745800Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 91.4%Average call center wait time, minutes: 4

Alabama

Percent of population enrolled: 18.23%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 940264Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minute: 1

South Carolina

Percent of population enrolled: 18.15%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 994159Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 60.0%Average call center wait time, minute: 1

Georgia

Percent of population enrolled: 16.74%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 1872027Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 68.9%Average call center wait time, minutes: 35

Nebraska

Percent of population enrolled: 16.63%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 333543Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 99.7%Average call center wait time, minutes: 6

Idaho

Percent of population enrolled: 15.63%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 312807Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 6.4%Average call center wait time, minutes: 61

Florida

Percent of population enrolled: 15.61%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 3648091Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 69.9%Average call center wait time, minutes: 22

South Dakota

Percent of population enrolled: 14.81%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 136919Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minutes: 0

Kansas

Percent of population enrolled: 13.52%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 401600Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 79.1%Average call center wait time, minutes: 0

Texas

Percent of population enrolled: 13.26%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 4148608Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 92.8%Average call center wait time, minute: 1

North Dakota

Percent of population enrolled: 13.24%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 105481Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 23.2%Average call center wait time, minute: 10

New Hampshire

Percent of population enrolled: 12.65%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 178189Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 91.1%Average call center wait time, minutes: 4

Wyoming

Percent of population enrolled: 10.16%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 59714Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): NAAverage call center wait time, minute: 1

Utah

Percent of population enrolled: 9.49%Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment: 332621Managed care enrollment (vs. FFS): 78.6%Average call center wait time, minutes: 9

Data and Methodology

Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) data for October 2025 comes from Open Data from Medicaid.gov. Rates of Medicaid enrollment in each state is determined by comparing these figures to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates, from the one-year American Community Survey for 2024. Other metrics like managed care plan enrollment versus fee-for-service (FFS) enrollment and call center wait times are also reported.

This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.