Rhode Island RIte Care Medicaid for Grandchild in Kinship Care

The child has no health insurance and needs to see a doctor. You are the grandparent, not the legal guardian, and you are wondering whether your income disqualifies the child from Medicaid. A relative caregiver's income is not counted solely because the child lives in the caregiver's home.

Eligibility Based on the Child's Medicaid Household

Rhode Island's Medicaid program for children, RIte Care, determines eligibility using the child's Medicaid household under MAGI rules. When the child is not a tax filer or is claimed as a tax dependent by a non-parent, that household includes the child, any parent or stepparent living with the child, and any siblings living with the child. It does not include a non-parent relative caregiver solely because the child lives in that caregiver's home.

The child's eligibility still depends on the countable income and family size in the child's Medicaid household and the other eligibility rules. MAGI eligibility does not count assets.

How to Apply

You can apply online through HealthyRhode RI (healthyrhode.ri.gov), by phone, by mail, or in person at a Department of Human Services (DHS) office or HealthSource RI.

On the application, you will identify the child as a household member and indicate your relationship. You are applying on the child's behalf, not adding the child to your own coverage.

What you will need:

• The child's Social Security number, or proof that you have applied for one if required for eligibility.
• The child's date of birth and any identity documents you have.
• Information about any income the child receives (Social Security survivor benefits, child support, trust distributions).
• Your address and contact information as the responsible adult.

You do not need a court order or legal guardianship to apply for Medicaid on behalf of a child living in your home.

Once the Child Is Enrolled

RIte Care covers doctor visits, hospitalizations, prescriptions, dental care, mental health services, and immunizations. The child gets a RIte Care card that you bring to every appointment.

If the child qualifies for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) child-only cash assistance, they may also be directly certified for free school breakfasts and lunches — no separate school meal application needed.

When Legal Status Matters

Medicaid enrollment for the child does not depend on your legal status as a caregiver. But medical providers may still require parental consent or a guardianship order before treating a child under 16 — having insurance does not resolve the consent question.

A child can be fully enrolled in RIte Care and still face barriers at the doctor's office if you cannot produce either a parent's written consent or a court order authorizing you to make medical decisions.

The Rhode Island School and Medical Consent Guide covers both the insurance enrollment process and the medical consent documents you need to actually use that coverage.

See more Rhode Island guides →