Medicaid Suspension Policies for Incarcerated People: 50-State Map

People who are in prison are generally not eligible for Medicaid. But making sure they can get health care when they are released is smart policy.

States can adopt a policy to suspend—rather than terminate—a person’s Medicaid coverage while he or she is incarcerated. The map below shows which states suspend and which states terminate Medicaid for people entering jail or prison.

Suspending Medicaid makes it easier for a person leaving the criminal justice system to regain health coverage. This ensures quicker access to mental health services, prescribed medicines, and other needed care. It also helps the economy, improves the health of local communities, and reduces the chance of people returning to prison.