Medicaid Work Requirement Calculator

Check if you are subject to the new Medicaid work requirements under the OBBBA, whether you qualify for an exemption, and how many hours you need. Free, private, no signup.

How to Use This Tool

Answer the questions below step by step. This calculator will tell you (1) if you are subject to the work requirement, (2) if you qualify for an exemption, and (3) whether your current activities meet the 80-hour monthly requirement. Your information stays on your device — nothing is sent to any server.

Step 1: Your Basic Information

Enter your age, state, household size, and approximate annual income.

Include yourself, spouse, and dependents.

Before taxes. Include all household members.

Step 2: Check for Exemptions

Check every box that applies to you. If any of these are true, you may be exempt from the work requirement and do not need to complete 80 hours per month.

Step 3: Your Activities

If no exemptions apply, add your qualifying activities below. You need at least 80 hours per month (about 20 hours per week) of work, education, job training, or community service.

Understanding the Medicaid Work Requirement

What Changed

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law in 2025, added a new work requirement for adults enrolled in Medicaid through the ACA expansion. Starting January 1, 2027, you must complete 80 hours per month of qualifying activities to keep your Medicaid coverage. Some states are implementing this earlier — Nebraska began enforcement in May 2026.

Who Is Affected

This requirement applies to adults ages 19-64 enrolled in Medicaid through the expansion program (generally those with income up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level). Approximately 18.5 million people are enrolled in expansion Medicaid nationwide. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that 5.2 million adults could lose coverage by 2034 under the House-passed version of the bill. The enacted law includes larger Medicaid cuts ($911 billion over 10 years), so the actual impact may be higher.

What Counts as a Qualifying Activity

You can meet the 80-hour requirement through any combination of:

  • Paid employment — Any job, part-time or full-time. There is no minimum wage requirement.
  • Job training — Workforce development programs, apprenticeships, or vocational training.
  • Higher education or career/technical education — Must be enrolled at least half-time.
  • Community service — Volunteering at a nonprofit, faith-based organization, or government program.

You can mix activities. For example, 10 hours of part-time work per week plus 10 hours of volunteering equals the 80 hours per month. There is also an income-based alternative: earning at least $580 per month (80 hours at the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr) satisfies the requirement regardless of hours worked.

Who Is Exempt

Many people are exempt and do not need to meet the 80-hour requirement. Exemptions include:

  • Pregnant individuals or those within 12 months postpartum
  • Parents or caregivers of a child age 13 or younger
  • Caregivers of a disabled family member
  • People with disabilities (physical, intellectual, or developmental)
  • People with substance use disorder, serious mental illness, or complex medical conditions
  • Disabled veterans
  • American Indians and Alaska Natives
  • Former foster care youth under age 26
  • People in substance abuse treatment programs
  • People already meeting TANF or SNAP work requirements
  • People currently incarcerated or released from incarceration within the past 90 days
  • Certain Medicare beneficiaries (scope may be limited — check with your state)

What Happens If You Do Not Comply

If your state cannot verify that you meet the 80-hour requirement, you will receive a notice. You then have 30 days to prove compliance or claim an exemption. If you do not respond, you will be disenrolled from Medicaid and must reapply from scratch to regain coverage.

Important: If you lose Medicaid due to noncompliance with the work requirement, you are also barred from receiving premium tax credits for ACA Marketplace insurance (Healthcare.gov). This means you could be left without any affordable health insurance option.

Key Dates

  • June 1, 2026 — HHS publishes full implementation rules
  • June 30 - August 31, 2026 — States must conduct outreach to notify you
  • January 1, 2027 — Federal work requirement takes effect in all expansion states
  • December 31, 2028 — Latest deadline for states granted extensions

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter your basic information — Your age, state, household size, and annual income. This tells us whether you are in the affected group.
  2. Check for exemptions — Go through the exemption checklist. If any apply to you, you do not need to meet the 80-hour requirement. Check every box that applies.
  3. Add your activities — If you are not exempt, add your current work, education, training, or volunteering hours. The calculator will tell you if you meet the 80-hour monthly requirement.
  4. Review your results — The calculator will show your status: exempt, compliant, or how many more hours you need.

This tool is for informational purposes only. For official guidance, contact your state Medicaid office or visit Medicaid.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Medicaid work requirement?+
Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), adults ages 19-64 enrolled in Medicaid through the ACA expansion must complete 80 hours per month of qualifying activities such as employment, job training, education, or community service. This takes effect January 1, 2027 for most states, though some states (like Nebraska) are implementing it earlier. Failure to comply can result in loss of Medicaid coverage.
Who is exempt from the Medicaid work requirement?+
Mandatory exemptions include: pregnant individuals, parents/caregivers of children age 13 or younger, caregivers of a disabled person, individuals who are blind, disabled, or medically frail (including those with substance use disorder, serious mental illness, or complex medical conditions), disabled veterans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, former foster youth under 26, those in substance abuse treatment programs, individuals already meeting TANF or SNAP work requirements, those currently incarcerated or released within 90 days, and certain Medicare beneficiaries. Additionally, earning at least $580/month from employment satisfies the requirement through an income-based alternative.
What activities count toward the 80 hours?+
Qualifying activities include: paid employment (part-time or full-time), job training or workforce development programs, enrollment in higher education or career/technical education (at least half-time), community service or volunteering, and participation in a work program. There is also an income-based alternative: earning at least $580/month satisfies the requirement regardless of hours. Caregiving for a child under 13 or a disabled family member qualifies you for an exemption instead. The 80 hours per month works out to about 20 hours per week.
What happens if I do not meet the 80 hours?+
If your state cannot verify your compliance, you receive a notice and have a 30-day cure period to demonstrate compliance or claim an exemption. If you do not respond within 30 days, you will be disenrolled from Medicaid. To regain coverage, you must reapply from scratch. Critically, individuals who lose Medicaid due to work requirement noncompliance are also ineligible for ACA Marketplace premium tax credits, meaning you cannot get subsidized health insurance through Healthcare.gov either.
When does this take effect?+
The federal mandate takes effect January 1, 2027. However, states can implement the requirement earlier. Nebraska began enforcement on May 1, 2026. States were required to begin outreach to notify beneficiaries between June 30 and August 31, 2026. HHS must publish the full interim final rule by June 1, 2026.
Does this apply in every state?+
It applies in all states that have expanded Medicaid (40 states plus DC). The 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming) are not directly affected because they have no Medicaid expansion population. States cannot waive this requirement after January 1, 2027.
Can I lose my healthcare coverage permanently?+
You can lose Medicaid and must reapply. There is no automatic reinstatement. Additionally, the law bars individuals disenrolled for noncompliance from receiving ACA Marketplace premium tax credits, which means you may not be able to get affordable health insurance through any subsidized program until you regain Medicaid eligibility. This makes compliance or claiming an exemption extremely important.
How do I report my hours?+
States must first attempt to verify your compliance through automatic data matching (payroll records, TANF/SNAP records, educational enrollment). If your hours cannot be verified automatically, you may need to self-report. Your state Medicaid office will provide specific reporting instructions. States verify compliance at least every 6 months.
Does part-time work count?+
Yes. Any paid employment counts toward the 80 hours per month, including part-time work. If you work 20 hours per week, you meet the requirement. There is no minimum wage or earnings threshold — only the hours matter.
What if I am in between jobs?+
If you are temporarily unemployed, you can meet the requirement through job training, education (at least half-time), community service, or volunteering. You can combine different qualifying activities to reach 80 hours. If you were recently released from incarceration (within 90 days), you are temporarily exempt.

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Medicaid Work Requirement Calculator — free online Medicaid work requirement calculator, Medicaid work requirement checker, Medicaid 80 hours calculator, am I exempt from Medicaid work requirements, Medicaid work requirement exemptions, OBBBA Medicaid work requirement, Medicaid community engagement requirement, Medicaid work requirement hours tracker, do I have to work for Medicaid, Medicaid eligibility work requirement 2026, Medicaid work requirement by state. No signup required. Works in your browser.