Georgia Medicaid and PeachCare for a Grandchild Living With Relatives

Why Most Kinship Children Qualify

Health coverage for children in Georgia kinship care is one of the most straightforward benefits to access. The reason is a household income rule that works heavily in the caregiver's favor: if you do not claim the grandchild as a tax dependent on your federal tax return, the state evaluates only the child's own income when determining Medicaid or PeachCare eligibility.

Most children living with grandparents or relatives have zero income of their own. That means they qualify for Medicaid at no cost — no premiums, no copays, no deductibles.

You do not need legal custody or guardianship to apply. A relative standing in loco parentis (acting in place of a parent) can sign a child-only health coverage application without a court order, a power of attorney, or proof of parentage.

Medicaid Income Thresholds by Age

Georgia uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) standards for children's Medicaid:

When only the child's income counts, nearly every kinship child falls well below these thresholds. Even if the child receives a small Social Security survivor benefit, it is unlikely to push them over the limit.

PeachCare for Kids: Georgia's CHIP Program

Children whose household income exceeds Medicaid limits but falls under 247% FPL may qualify for PeachCare for Kids, Georgia's Children's Health Insurance Program. PeachCare covers doctor visits, hospitalizations, prescriptions, dental, vision, and mental health services.

Premium costs depend on age and income:

• Children under age 6: No monthly premium
• Children ages 6 through 18: Income-based sliding scale premium

For kinship families where only the child's income is counted, PeachCare premiums are often zero or minimal. The program is administered through managed care organizations — you choose a plan during enrollment.

The Tax Dependent Decision

Here is where kinship caregivers need to think carefully. Claiming the grandchild as a tax dependent can unlock federal tax credits (Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, dependent care credits). But it changes how Medicaid evaluates household income.

If you do claim the child as a tax dependent, standard MAGI rules combine your income with the child's into one household. Your Social Security, pension, or wages now count toward the child's Medicaid eligibility. For a grandparent with moderate income, this could shift the child from free Medicaid to PeachCare with premiums — or potentially above the PeachCare limit entirely.

If you do not claim the child, only the child's own income matters. The child almost certainly qualifies for Medicaid at no cost.

The right choice depends on your specific income level and the value of the tax credits versus the healthcare cost difference. For many grandparents on fixed income, not claiming the child as a dependent is the better financial outcome overall — free Medicaid is worth more than the tax credit. But this is household-specific math.

How to Apply

Apply through Georgia Gateway (gateway.ga.gov) or at your county DFCS office. You can apply for Medicaid and PeachCare at the same time as TANF and SNAP — the Gateway portal handles all four.

Documents needed:

• Child's birth certificate or Social Security card
• Proof of Georgia residency
• Any income documentation for the child (child support, Social Security)
• Your photo ID

DFCS determines whether the child qualifies for Medicaid or PeachCare based on the income evaluation. You do not need to choose between the two programs — the agency assigns the correct one automatically.

Continuous Eligibility and Managed Care

Once approved, the child receives 12 months of continuous coverage regardless of minor income fluctuations during that period. Renewals happen annually through Georgia Gateway. Keep your contact information current so you do not miss the renewal notice.

Standard Medicaid and PeachCare enrollees choose a managed care organization (MCO) — Amerigroup, CareSource, or Peach State Health Plan — for physical, dental, and vision care. Children in formal DFCS foster care are enrolled instead in Georgia Families 360°, which adds coordinated behavioral and mental health services.

Child-only Medicaid does not require cooperation with the Division of Child Support Services (DCSS), unlike TANF. You will not be asked to help locate or pursue child support from the absent parent as a condition of keeping the child's health coverage.

The Georgia Kinship Financial Help Guide includes a decision worksheet for the tax-dependent question and walks through the Medicaid and PeachCare application step by step, alongside every other financial program available to kinship families.

See more Georgia guides →