Aging out of Foster Care.
If you are in foster care or have recently aged out of foster care, you are eligible for full-benefit Medicaid at no cost to you.
Young adults who age out of foster care are eligible for Medicaid until you turn 26 — even if you are over the income limit.
In Virginia, Anthem is the exclusive Managed Care Organization for foster care children and former foster care youth. Your Managed Care Organization, or MCO, is the health plan that contracts with providers to manage your Medicaid coverage. MCOs provide extra benefits along with your health coverage. You can see a full list of the extra services available to you here.
If you find that your health plan does not fit your needs, you can get free help to explore other areas of coverage.
How to Apply.
You can apply for Medicaid coverage directly online through CommonHelp or over the phone by calling Cover Virginia (855-242-8282 – TTY 711).
If you would like free, unbiased help completing the application, you can get in-person or virtual assistance near you using this online locator tool. Someone will answer your questions, review your options, and help you fill out the application.
Enroll Virginia is a nonprofit, nonpartisan initiative of Virginia Poverty Law Center. We are not affiliated with Virginia Medicaid or the Virginia Department of Social Services.
More Resources for Virginians in Foster Care and Former Foster Youth.
Get help with food costs.
Virginia Poverty Law Center’s SNAP Calculator can help you check whether you are eligible for food assistance and estimate your benefit.
For one-on-one help with the SNAP application, contact VPLC’s SNAP helpline: 866-753-SNAP.
*Note: The SNAP calculator is a project of Virginia Hunger Solutions and VPLC (with help from the SNAP prescreener project), and is not affiliated with the Virginia Department of Social Services.
Learn your rights.
“Learn Your Rights: A Guide for Youth in Foster Care” is a guide from Virginia Poverty Law Center that includes information about what to expect in foster care and things to know as you transition from foster care to independence.
Learn about your rights in these categories: legal, education, higher education, money, health care, driving a car, employment, housing, and consumer rights.
Make a plan for college.
Virginia’s Great Expectations program offers information and resources about college for students who have experienced foster care.
The program pairs students with a coach to help you decide your goals, learn about the schools and programs that offer the best fit, and enroll. They can also help with things like covering your expenses and arranging transportation. Scholarships and financial aid are available to make college more affordable.