Medicaid.gov vs Single Stop in 2026

Compare Medicaid.gov and Single Stop for a household: what each source says it does, what it costs, and what to check.

By CleverDings · 2026-10-26

CleverDings is published by the makers of Benefit Buddy, Postal Buddy and Packing Buddy, which are compared here alongside other apps.

Medicaid.gov is the official U.S. government site for Medicaid, CHIP and the Basic Health Program. ^[1] Single Stop is a nonprofit that screens for dozens of federal and state programs across all 50 states and DC. ^[2]

Option	Own price	What its source says it is
Medicaid.gov	not published	The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is responsible for implementing laws related to Medicaid, CHIP and the Basic Health Program ^[1]
Single Stop	not published	A nonprofit that helps people identify public benefits and local resources to improve financial stability ^[2]
Benefit Buddy	Finding benefits is free; Plus costs $4.99 a month ^[3]	You tell it about your household in a few sentences ^[3]. It says whether you qualify for each benefit ^[3]

The short answer

Medicaid.gov publishes a monthly data report with preliminary state Medicaid and CHIP eligibility and enrollment data. ^[4] Single Stop is a nonprofit that helps people identify public benefits and local resources to improve financial stability. ^[2]

If you want a tool that checks your household against many programs at once, Single Stop says it screens for dozens of federal and state programs in all 50 states and DC. ^[2] If you want a government site for Medicaid, Medicaid.gov describes itself through CMS's role of implementing laws for Medicaid, CHIP and the Basic Health Program. ^[1] The sources for Medicaid.gov say nothing more about checking benefits, so read its pages for details.

What Medicaid.gov, Single Stop is built for

Medicaid.gov's page says the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is responsible for implementing laws passed by Congress related to Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Basic Health Program. ^[1] It publishes a monthly government data report on Medicaid and CHIP enrollment, with preliminary state eligibility and enrollment data. ^[4]

Single Stop is a nonprofit organization that helps people identify public benefits and local resources that can improve financial stability. ^[2] It screens for dozens of federal and state programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. ^[2] Its benefits screening and community-resource capabilities are available across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. ^[2]

Those are the only facts available here about either one. They do not say which programs each covers, what questions are asked, or how results are shown. Before relying on either, open its site and see what it asks and what it returns.

What Benefit Buddy is built for

Benefit Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. You tell it about your household in a few sentences and answer a few questions. ^[3] It checks government help, your state's own programs, and perks in your health plan, insurance, cards and job against your household. ^[3] It covers programs like SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and WIC, plus your state's versions under their own names. ^[3]

For each benefit it says whether you qualify, what one step stands in the way, or which question would settle it. ^[3] You can tick benefits off as you use them or dismiss ones you don't want. ^[3] You can name your Medicare Advantage plan to see its extras, with dollar amounts the plan states. ^[3] Each day it lists FEMA disaster aid open in each county, with the deadline to sign up for each one. ^[3] You can add a document such as a tax return, W-2, 1099, IRS transcript or DD-214 instead of writing. ^[3]

Pricing and fees

Medicaid.gov: its sources do not publish a price, so check the site for any cost. ^[1]

Single Stop: its sources here do not publish a price to a household, so check with it for any cost. Its page says it is a nonprofit and that its screening covers dozens of federal and state programs in all 50 states and DC. ^[2]

Benefit Buddy: finding benefits is free; Plus costs $4.99 a month. ^[3] Finding benefits is free for everyone, signed in or not. ^[3] Benefit Buddy does not say what Plus adds, so check that before paying. ^[3]

Getting started

For Benefit Buddy, you can try a shared demo account without signing in; it resets every day. ^[3] The app is made for the web and phones. ^[3] Your AI assistant, such as Claude, can use Benefit Buddy to walk through your questions. ^[3]

For Medicaid.gov, its sources give no sign-up or setup steps. Its page says CMS is responsible for implementing laws related to Medicaid, CHIP and the Basic Health Program. ^[1] Visit the site to see what it offers for your household.

For Single Stop, its sources here give no sign-up steps for a household. They say it screens for dozens of federal and state programs in all 50 states and DC. ^[2] Check how its customers make the service available to you.

Things to check before you choose

Ask these of either tool:

Which programs does it cover, and does it show your state's own versions?
Does it tell you why you do or do not qualify, and what step is missing?
What information does it ask for, and can you skip what you would rather not share?
Can you save your progress or mark what you have already used?
Does it cover perks outside government programs, such as those from insurance or your job?
What does it cost, and what does a paid plan add?
How does it show the date its program information was last updated?

How to choose

If you want to describe your household in a few sentences and get a status per benefit, Benefit Buddy says it does this. ^[3] ^[3]

If you want to see perks from your health plan, insurance, cards and job beside government programs, Benefit Buddy says it checks your household against those. ^[3]

If you want a nonprofit that screens across many states, Single Stop says its screening covers dozens of federal and state programs in all 50 states and DC. ^[2]

If you want the official U.S. government site for Medicaid, CHIP and the Basic Health Program, Medicaid.gov's page says CMS implements those laws. ^[1] The sources for Medicaid.gov here say nothing about what it returns for a household, so open the site and see what it shows you.

Frequently asked questions

Is Medicaid.gov the official source for Medicaid?

Its page says the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is responsible for implementing laws passed by Congress related to Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Basic Health Program. ^[1] It also publishes a monthly data report with preliminary state Medicaid and CHIP eligibility and enrollment data. ^[4]

What does Single Stop screen for?

Single Stop is a nonprofit organization that helps people identify public benefits and local resources that can improve financial stability. ^[2] Its platform screens for dozens of federal and state programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. ^[2]

Does Single Stop work in every state?

Its benefits screening and community-resource capabilities are available across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. ^[2] Its platform screens for dozens of federal and state programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. ^[2]

Does Benefit Buddy cover SNAP and Medicaid?

It covers programs like SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and WIC, plus your state's versions under their own names. ^[3] For each benefit it says whether you qualify, what one step stands in the way, or which question would settle it. ^[3]

Can Benefit Buddy be tried without an account?

You can try a shared demo account without signing in; it resets every day. ^[3] Finding benefits is also free for everyone, signed in or not. ^[3]

Finding benefits is free; Plus costs $4.99 a month. ^[3]

Try Benefit Buddy