U.S. · Medicaid · Community engagement · 2027
Medicaid work requirement hours calculator.
Add up your month the way the federal rule counts it, and see which of the qualifying routes you reach.
80 hours a month, or another route. Under section 1902(xx)(2) of the Social Security Act and the CMS interim final rule, a month counts if you reach 80 hours of work, community service, a work program or any combination, are in school at least half-time, or earn at least the federal minimum wage times 80 hours ($7.25 × 80 = $580). States must apply the rule by January 1, 2027 unless granted a good faith exemption.
Your month
Does this month count?
What the rule counts
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published an interim final rule with comment period on June 3, 2026 (Federal Register document 2026-11094) that interprets section 1902(xx) of the Social Security Act. Under it, an applicable individual shows community engagement for a month by working at least 80 hours, completing at least 80 hours of community service, taking part in a work program for at least 80 hours, being enrolled in an educational program at least half-time, doing any combination of work, service and program activity for at least 80 hours, or having monthly income not less than the federal minimum wage multiplied by 80 hours. A seasonal worker can instead show an average monthly income over the preceding 6 months that meets that same amount. At $7.25 an hour that amount is $580 a month.
School that is less than half-time
Less-than-half-time school counts toward the 80 hours using credit hours. The rule uses the Carnegie unit: a credit hour is 3 hours of time in the program per week, so one credit hour for a month is 3 hours multiplied by 4.33 weeks, or 12.99 hours. Six credit hours is 77.94 hours; add 3 hours of work and the month reaches 80. The calculator applies that arithmetic. Being enrolled at least half-time is enough on its own, and the school determines your enrollment status.
Who has to meet it
The rule applies to “applicable individuals”: people eligible for or enrolled in the adult expansion group, or covered by certain section 1115 demonstration coverage, who are at least 19 and under 65, not pregnant, and not on Medicare. If a state has not covered the adult expansion group and has no qualifying demonstration, it has no applicable individuals. The rule also lists mandatory exceptions, such as being under 19, being entitled to or enrolled in Medicare Part A or B, or falling in certain mandatory eligibility groups, and a separate list of specified excluded individuals who are not subject to the requirement at all.
| Specified excluded group (from the rule) | Note |
|---|---|
| Former foster care children | Listed in the rule’s section II.E |
| American Indians | Listed in the rule’s section II.E |
| Parent, guardian, caretaker relative or family caregiver of a dependent child 13 and under, or of a disabled individual | The rule defines dependent child as 13 or under who relies on another for care |
| Veterans with a 100 percent (total) disability rating | Permanent determinations are not reverified |
| Medically frail or with special medical needs | Includes blindness or disability, substance use disorder, disabling mental disorder, a disability that significantly impairs activities of daily living, or a serious or complex condition |
This is the rule’s list as we read it in the preamble; the regulation text and your state’s notice are what decide your case.
Timing
States must require community engagement starting no later than January 1, 2027, and may start earlier. A state can request a temporary good faith effort exemption, and the statute requires any such exemption to expire no later than December 31, 2028. At application, the state must look back at least 1 and not more than 3 consecutive months immediately before the month you apply, as it chooses. At renewal the state checks too. If your state notifies you that you are not compliant, the statute gives you a 30-calendar-day period to respond.
Worked example
You work 62 hours, volunteer 10 hours with an approved program, and take one 3-credit class while enrolled less than half-time. The class counts 3 × 12.99 = 38.97 hours, so the month totals 62 + 10 + 38.97 = 110.97 hours and clears 80 with room to spare. With only the 62 hours of work you would be 18 hours short, and would need 18 more hours, half-time enrollment, or monthly income of $580.
Limits of this page
The calculator does only the arithmetic. It does not decide whether an activity is approved, whether household or individual income is used, or which verification documents your state wants. It cannot tell you whether you are an excluded person. State plans differ and the federal rule can be revised. This is policy in flux.
Sources
Sources opened and read in November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours do I need for the Medicaid work requirement?
At least 80 hours in the month of work, community service, a work program or a combination of them. Other routes: half-time school, or monthly income of at least $580 ($7.25 times 80 hours).
Does volunteering count toward the 80 hours?
Community service counts toward the 80 hours under section 1902(xx)(2) as interpreted in the CMS rule. The program must be one your state can document and verify.
How do school credits count if I am less than half-time?
Each credit hour counts as 3 hours a week times 4.33 weeks, or 12.99 hours a month, under the CMS rule’s Carnegie unit approach.
Is there an income alternative?
Yes. Monthly income not less than the federal minimum wage times 80 hours, which is $580 at $7.25. Seasonal workers can use an average over the preceding 6 months.
Who is excluded from the Medicaid work requirement?
The rule lists specified excluded individuals including former foster care children, American Indians, parents and caregivers of a child 13 or under or of a disabled person, veterans with a total disability rating, and medically frail people.
When does the Medicaid work requirement start?
States must apply it no later than January 1, 2027, unless CMS grants a good faith effort exemption, which cannot run past December 31, 2028. A state may start earlier.
How far back does a state look when I apply?
The state chooses 1, 2 or 3 consecutive months immediately before the month of application.
Not legal, tax or benefits advice
This page is general information drawn from the sources listed, not legal, tax or benefits advice, and it is not run by any government agency. Rules, forms and dates change and your state or county decides your case, so confirm with the office named on this page before you rely on it. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.