Meet the Requirements to Keep Your Medicaid
Starting January 1, 2027, some adult Medicaid enrollees will need to show they are taking part in certain Community Engagement Activities to stay eligible for Medicaid. These activities may also be called Work Requirements. Approved activities include working or doing unpaid work, going to school, being in a work program, volunteering or doing community service. Medicaid enrollees can do a mix of these activities to help them stay eligible.
Many enrollees may qualify for an exemption. If you are not exempt, you will need to report community engagement activities to Medicaid twice a year.
If you need to report, here’s what you can do right now:
- If Medicaid needs this information from you, they will ask for it. Your renewal packet will include more information and forms to complete. Don’t miss important updates! Keep your mailing address, phone number and email address current with Louisiana Medicaid. Make updates online or by email.
- If you are already earning $580 or completing 80 hours of activities each month, keep doing so. If not, make a plan and get started now!
Work Requirements and Approved Activities
You will need to earn at least $580 or do at least 80 hours each month (on average) of approved activities. Your 80 hours can come from one activity or a mix of activities. Approved activities include:
- Working or doing unpaid work
- Being in school or a work program
- Volunteering or doing community service
Important! If you do not meet work requirements and are not exempt, you may lose your Medicaid coverage. You will need to meet work requirements for at least one month before reapplying for Medicaid.
Resources to Help You Get Started
Get free resources to help you find full-time, part-time or seasonal work.
- Louisiana Works Job Search: Find open jobs near you. Narrow your search by location, job type or education needed.
- American Job Centers Louisiana Offices (PDF): Get free career counseling and job placement services near you.
- FindHelp: Use our free online tool to search for job placement resources, programs that help pay for work expenses, support with finding a job and more.
Unpaid Work is work, other than community service, that is not for pay. Unpaid work may help a person or company instead of the community. Some examples of unpaid work are:
- internships
- trial periods for job experience
- caregiving for a child or a person with a disability whom you are not related to and do not live with
A work program is an employment and training program that helps people build skills and find work. State or local governments run or oversee work programs. They may include:
- industry or employer training
- veterans training
- other federally supported training
Work programs may include supervised job search and job search training activities. But these activities must be less than half of the required hours. Work programs may be part of an educational program or operate on their own.
An educational program means a place of higher education such as:
- college, community college, proprietary school, vocational school, or university
- a program of career or technical education
- registered apprenticeships
- high school or a program to earn a certificate equal to a high school diploma
Get resources to help you find work programs or educational programs.
- Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges: Connect with a program near you. Financial aid may be available.
- American Job Centers Louisiana Offices (PDF): Get free referrals to work programs.
- FindHelp: Use our free online tool to search for mentorship programs, scholarships, financial aid services and help applying for college.
Community service is unpaid work with a structured program under the supervision of a public or nonprofit organization. It can be completed by choice or by court order. Community service serves a useful purpose like helping schools, health programs, nonprofits or public safety groups. These programs also help people build skills for future jobs.
- Volunteer Louisiana: Search for service opportunities in your area. You can filter by distance, impact area or topic, age range, or skills needed.
- Louisiana Association of United Ways: Find service opportunities through your regional United Way.