A Look at the Potential Impact of the High Unemployment Hardship Exception to Medicaid Work Requirements

KFF September 29, 2025
Clea Bell, Jennifer Tolbert, Sammy Cervantes

The Republican budget reconciliation package, signed into law on July 4^th, will—for the first time—require some individuals enrolled in Medicaid to meet work requirements as a condition of eligibility. When implemented by January 2027 (or sooner at state option), adults enrolled through the Medicaid expansion and certain adults enrolled in Medicaid waiver programs in Wisconsin and Georgia, will be required to work or participate in work-related activity for 80 hours or more a month or attend school half time. The law exempts certain individuals from the requirements, including parents of children ages 13 and younger, people who are medically frail, and people who meet similar work requirements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The law also permits states to...

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