Medicaid changes will impact Michiganders
Starting Jan. 1, 2027, adults without young kids who rely on the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) must show that they spend at least 80 hours per month working, attending training programs, volunteering, or a combination of the three. You can also meet the work requirements by enrolling in at least six credit hours of education per semester or earning an average of at least $580 per month.
Work requirements start on Jan. 1, 2027. If you are applying for the first time, you will need proof that you met the work requirements in the one to three months before you applied. If you are currently enrolled in HMP, you will need to show you met the requirements at your next Bi-annual renewal and every renewal afterwards.
Exemptions
You might be exempt from general work reporting requirements if you are:
- Enrolled in traditional or straight Medicaid (not HMP).
- Meeting SNAP work requirements.
- American Indian or Alaskan Native.
- A disabled veteran.
- 65 or older.
- Pregnant or recently gave birth.
- Unable to work due to physical or mental disability.
- Recently hospitalized.
- A parent earning less than half of the federal poverty level.
- Caring for a child under the age of 14 or someone with a disability.
- A foster youth or were in foster care and are younger than 26 years old.
- Incarcerated or were incarcerated within the past 90 days.
- Regularly attending an alcohol or drug treatment program.
Talk to your MDHHS case worker if you think you might be exempt.
Other Upcoming Changes
Starting Jan. 1, 2027
- People enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) must renew their coverage every six months.
- Those applying for the first time or after a lapse in coverage can get Medicaid to cover health care expenses in the month before applying, down from three months previously.
Starting Oct. 1, 2028
- You may need to pay up to a $35 copay per service for care that’s not exempted.
- Exempted care includes prenatal, family planning, certain emergency services, primary care and behavioral health. It also includes services from federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics and certified community behavioral health clinics.
Changes for Immigrants
Starting Oct. 1, 2026, many immigrants will no longer be eligible for Medicaid or the HMP. The only people who will be eligible for Medicaid are:
• U.S. citizens.
• Green card holders (lawful permanent residents) who have lived in the country for more than five years.
• Cuban or Haitian entrants.
• Citizens of Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands who qualify as Compact of Free Association (COFA) citizens.
