U.S. · Texas and Florida · Medicaid · 2027
Texas Medicaid work requirements 2027.
Why the January 1, 2027 federal rule is not expected to reach Texas or Florida, who it does reach, and a tracker if your state is covered.
Probably not. The federal work requirement that starts January 1, 2027 attaches to the Medicaid expansion adult group. KFF’s tracker, with decisions as of October 2026, lists Texas and Florida as states that have not adopted expansion, so the rule is not expected to reach Texas Medicaid adults unless that changes.
Your month (if your state applies it)
Does this month count?
Why expansion decides it
The CMS rule defines who must show community engagement. An “applicable individual” (42 CFR 435.551) is someone eligible for or enrolled in the adult expansion group (42 CFR 435.119), or in a section 1115 demonstration that provides coverage meeting minimum essential coverage standards, who is at least 19 and under 65, not pregnant, not on Medicare, and not otherwise eligible under the state plan. A state without the expansion group has no one in the first category. That is why the requirement is described as aimed at “expansion adults.”
Where Texas and Florida stand
KFF’s status table, with decisions as of October 2026, shows Texas and Florida as “Not Adopted.” KFF counts 41 states including DC that have adopted expansion and 10 that have not: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming. We could not read the Texas Health and Human Services or Florida AHCA pages with an automated fetch (both returned access errors), so confirm the current status with your state agency before you rely on this. KFF is a secondary source; the federal rule is the primary one for what the requirement covers.
What the requirement still means if you are covered
If you do live in a state that applies it, the monthly test is the same everywhere: 80 hours of work, community service, a work program or school, in any combination; half-time school on its own; or monthly income of at least $7.25 × 80 = $580. Less-than-half-time school counts each credit hour as 3 hours a week times 4.33. Applicants show 1 to 3 consecutive months before the application month, as the state chooses, and current enrollees are checked at renewal. The tracker above does the arithmetic. Pennsylvania is a worked example of a state that has published its plan.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Start date | January 1, 2027 at the latest, unless CMS grants a good faith exemption (ends no later than December 31, 2028) |
| Age | 19 through 64 |
| Monthly hours | 80, in any combination of work, service, work program and school |
| Income alternative | $7.25 × 80 = $580 a month |
| Excluded | Parents or caretakers of a child 13 or under or of a disabled person, and other listed groups |
If you are in Texas or Florida
Medicaid eligibility there still turns on your category, for example children, pregnancy, disability or age. Apply through YourTexasBenefits.com in Texas. If you earn too little for Marketplace subsidies and have no Medicaid category, see our ACA subsidy calculator for what changes at different incomes.
Limits of this page
A state can adopt the expansion or start a demonstration at any time, and CMS can still revise its interim rule. Florida is covered here rather than on a separate page because the answer and the rule are the same. This is information, not advice about your coverage.
Sources
Primary sources opened and checked on November 1, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Medicaid work requirement apply in Texas in 2027?
Probably not. The federal requirement attaches to the Medicaid expansion adult group and to certain section 1115 demonstration populations. KFF's tracker, with decisions as of October 2026, lists Texas as a state that has not adopted the expansion, so the rule is not expected to reach Texas Medicaid adults unless that changes.
Does the Medicaid work requirement apply in Florida in 2027?
Probably not, for the same reason. KFF lists Florida as not having adopted the Medicaid expansion as of October 2026. Confirm with the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration or the Department of Children and Families.
Which states have not adopted Medicaid expansion?
Per KFF as of October 2026: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming. The other 40 states and DC have adopted it.
Who must meet the federal Medicaid work requirement?
Adults 19 to 64 who are eligible under the expansion adult group, are not pregnant, and are not on Medicare, minus specified excluded people such as parents or caretakers of a child 13 or under or of a person with a disability. They must show 80 hours a month of work, service, a work program or school, or income of at least $580.
How do I apply for Medicaid in Texas?
Use YourTexasBenefits.com, the state portal, or contact Texas Health and Human Services. Eligibility in Texas depends on your category, for example children, pregnancy, disability or age, and the federal work requirement is not expected to change those categories.
Could Texas or Florida still be affected?
Yes, if the state later adopts the expansion or runs a section 1115 demonstration that covers adults, because the federal rule applies to those groups.
Not legal or benefits advice
This page is general information, not legal advice or a determination of Medicaid eligibility. Confirm your state status with Texas Health and Human Services, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration or a benefits counselor. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.