Minnesota

Minnesota Medicaid and the new work rules

Medical Assistance (MA) is run by Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). Minnesota expanded Medicaid on January 1, 2014, which is why the new federal work requirement reaches this state — and why what you do before January 1, 2027 matters.

Work rules start January 1, 2027 Medicaid expanded 1,200,000 enrolled 243,000 in the expansion group

Start here

From January 1, 2027, most adults have to show 80 hours a month

The requirement applies to adults aged 19 to 64 covered through Medicaid expansion — around 243,000 people in Minnesota. It is not only about paid work: study, job training, volunteering and a mix of them all count , and earning at least $580 a month satisfies it on its own.

DHS intends to verify compliance primarily through existing data matches — employment records, SNAP/MFIP participation, Social Security and disability records — rather than requiring most enrollees to submit paperwork. Anyone who doesn't show up as compliant through those data sources will be asked to self-report, and failing to respond can cost someone their coverage even if they actually qualify for an exemption.

If your hours swing from month to month, say so. The rule is written per month, which is the wrong shape for farm and fishing work, construction, tourism and seasonal retail — a good month and a dead month average out to a living, but the dead month is the one that fails. Federal law has a provision for exactly this: a seasonal worker can satisfy the requirement using their average monthly income over the previous six months instead of hours worked in the month being checked. It is at 42 CFR 435.552(a)(7), and the law defines who counts as seasonal by pointing at the tax code rather than listing jobs, so do not decide for yourself that it misses you. If your work is seasonal or your hours are irregular, tell the state that when you report, and ask for the six-month average to be used.

February 2026 · already happened

DHS briefed the Minnesota Legislature's health committees on the H.R. 1 Medicaid changes, including the work-requirement rules and exemptions

June 1, 2026 · already happened

CMS issued its interim final rule implementing the federal community-engagement requirement

October 2026

DHS is required (under state legislation, HF3439) to notify expansion-group enrollees that a disability-determination pathway exists, so that people who may qualify for an exemption through disability can apply for it

December 31, 2026

Six-month eligibility renewals begin for expansion-group adults, replacing annual renewals

January 1, 2027

Work/community-engagement requirement takes effect for MA expansion adults (21-64, no dependent children, not pregnant, not qualifying through disability)

You do not have to prove anything if any of these describe you

Exemptions are meant to be applied by the state automatically from records it already holds, but records are imperfect. If one of these fits you and you still get asked to report hours, say so and ask them to check — don't assume the notice is right.

Pregnant people, and people in a postpartum coverage period

People under 21 or over 64

Parents, guardians, or caregivers of a dependent child age 13 or younger, or of a person with a disability

People who are medically frail or have serious or complex medical needs

Veterans with a total disability rating

Current and former foster care youth under age 26

American Indians, Alaska Natives, and California Indians

People already meeting work requirements for SNAP or Minnesota's TANF-equivalent program (the Minnesota Family Investment Program, MFIP)

People in a drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program

People who are incarcerated, or who were released from incarceration within the past 90 days

People who already qualify for MA through a disability (non-MAGI) pathway rather than through the expansion group

Income limits

What you can earn and still qualify

Monthly income, before tax, for the whole household. These are the state's own published figures, which is what its caseworkers actually apply. If you are close to a line, apply anyway — some income does not count, and only the agency can run the calculation for your situation.

Adults 19 to 64133% of the poverty line

1 person: $1,768
2 people: $2,398
3 people: $3,027
4 people: $3,657
5 people: $4,287
6 people: $4,916
7 people: $5,546
8 people: $6,175

Pregnant278% of the poverty line

2 people: $5,013
3 people: $6,329
4 people: $7,645
5 people: $8,960
6 people: $10,276
7 people: $11,592
8 people: $12,908

Source: MNsure, '2025-26 Income Level Guidelines for Financial Help,' and DHS worksheet DHS-3461A-ENG; Medical Assistance figures below are effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. A note on precision: DHS's own worksheet labels the adult limit column '133% FPG' (federal poverty guideline), but — as in most expansion states — Minnesota separately applies a 5% MAGI income disregard at determination, which federal guidance treats as raising the effective ceiling to 138% FPL. We publish the state figure.

January 1, 2027

Two other changes land on the same day

Renewals get more frequent, and back-dated coverage gets shorter.

Renewals every six months Beginning with eligibility periods ending on or after December 31, 2026, Minnesota must redetermine eligibility every six months for adults in the expansion group, instead of once a year — doubling their renewal paperwork. This does not apply to Tribal members.

Back-dated coverage is changing on January 1 One month for adults in the expansion group, two months for everyone else, starting January 1, 2028 in Minnesota specifically rather than January 1, 2027. But not yet here: Federal law cuts retroactive MA coverage from three months to one month for expansion-group adults (two months for everyone else) for applications filed on or after January 1, 2027. The 2026 Minnesota Legislature passed state legislation fully funding three months of retroactive coverage for Minnesotans for one additional year using state dollars, so the practical effect of the federal cut does not reach Minnesota enrollees until January 1, 2028 — about a year later than most other states. DHS estimates this will still eventually cost Minnesota nearly $37 million, a roughly 29% reduction in retroactive payments, once it takes effect.

P.L. 119-21 §71112, amending 42 U.S.C. §1396a(a)(34). Applies to applications submitted on or after January 1, 2027.

Do this now

Update your address and phone number first. Everything about the new rules arrives by mail, and a stale address is the most common reason people lose coverage they are still entitled to. Then check whether an exemption applies to you.

Apply, renew or update details MNsure.org DHS's own guidance says 'the easiest way for most people to apply is online through MNsure.' Some people — including many seniors, people with disabilities, and youth formerly in foster care — apply a different way, through a county or Tribal servicing agency, rather than through MNsure. The state's own work-rules page Read Minnesota's guidance Updated as rules are finalized Talk to a person 651-431-2670 Medical Assistance Member Help Desk (Twin Cities metro) Medical Assistance Member Help Desk (toll-free, Greater Minnesota) 800-657-3739 MinnesotaCare Member Help Desk (Twin Cities metro) 651-297-3862

About the phone numbers: The DHS work-requirements page (mn.gov/dhs/work-requirements) and the general application page (mn.gov/dhs/health-care/apply/) were blocked by an automated bot-detection CAPTCHA wall during this research and could not be read directly. A person visiting those same URLs in an ordinary web browser should reach them without issue; this research instead confirmed the exemption list, timeline, and phone numbers through DHS's own PDFs (summary and equity-analysis documents linked in sources) and Minnesota legislative committee briefing documents prepared by DHS staff, plus the contact-numbers page which did load.

Deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired: Minnesota Relay: 800-627-3529 (TTY) or 877-627-3848 (Speech-to-Speech).

EnglishHmongRussianSomaliSpanishVietnamese

Minnesota's Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare application forms are available in six languages — English, Hmong, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese — reflecting the state's large Hmong, Somali, and Latino communities, built up over decades of refugee resettlement and immigration and concentrated especially in the Twin Cities. Beyond those six, DHS maintains a broader language-access plan covering ten languages in total, adding Arabic, Khmer, Lao, Oromo, and Bosnian. By law, DHS, your county, and MNsure must give you a free interpreter — in person or by phone, without undue delay — any time you ask, and they are not allowed to ask you to bring a relative or friend to translate instead. Children under 18 should never be used as interpreters. If your language isn't one of the ten DHS supports most often, county and state workers can still reach you through a statewide telephone interpreter line covering more than 140 languages; just tell them, or point to an 'I speak' card, which language you need.

If a letter arrives

Most people who lose coverage lose it over paperwork, not eligibility

Nationally, most people who lose Medicaid lose it over paperwork rather than because they stopped qualifying. From January 1, 2027 that matters more, not less.

Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) · Notice of action

NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION

Case number: ███████
Date of this notice: 1January 12, 2027

Our records do not show that you met the community engagement requirement for the reporting period.

2If you believe this is incorrect, or if an exemption applies to you, contact us on or before February 11, 2027.

3Coverage for other members of your household is not affected by this notice.

The clock starts on this date. Not the day it reached you. Assume you have less time than it feels like.

"Our records do not show" is not the same as "you did not".The state is matching against databases that are often out of date. If you worked those hours, or an exemption fits you, say so — call 651-431-2670.

Your children's coverage is separate. The work requirement does not apply to them. A notice about you does not end their coverage.

You can ask for a fair hearing. It's free, you don't need a lawyer, and asking can keep your coverage running while it's reviewed.

Know your state

What the federal data says about coverage here

Public federal data describes how each state runs its program. Almost all of it is written for policy analysts. Here is what those numbers mean if you are the person enrolled.

Payment error rate · CMS

2.16%

Records here are relatively accurate, so treat a notice as real rather than assuming a mistake.

Quintile 1 of 5.

How care is delivered

Managed care

Coverage here runs through private health plans rather than the state paying providers directly. You pick a plan, and your plan decides your network.

Check your doctor is in the plan before you choose it.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this

Do the new Medicaid work rules apply to me in Minnesota?

They apply to adults aged 19 to 64 who are covered through Medicaid expansion — about 243,000 people in Minnesota. Children, people over 65, and most people covered on grounds of disability or pregnancy are not in that group. There is also a long list of exemptions.

How many hours a month do I have to work?

80 hours a month. Work is not the only way to meet it — study, job training, volunteering and a combination of these count too, and earning at least $580 a month also satisfies it.

Who is exempt from the work requirement in Minnesota?

Exemptions include: Pregnant people, and people in a postpartum coverage period; People under 21 or over 64; Parents, guardians, or caregivers of a dependent child age 13 or younger, or of a person with a disability; People who are medically frail or have serious or complex medical needs; Veterans with a total disability rating; Current and former foster care youth under age 26; American Indians, Alaska Natives, and California Indians; People already meeting work requirements for SNAP or Minnesota's TANF-equivalent program (the Minnesota Family Investment Program, MFIP).

When do the Minnesota work rules start?

January 1, 2027. Beginning with eligibility periods ending on or after December 31, 2026, Minnesota must redetermine eligibility every six months for adults in the expansion group, instead of once a year — doubling their renewal paperwork. This does not apply to Tribal members. Keeping your address and phone number current with the state is the single most important thing to do before then, because everything arrives by mail.

What is the income limit for Minnesota Medicaid?

For adults 19 to 64, about $1,768 a month for one person and $6,175 for a household of 8.

How do I apply for Medical Assistance (MA)?

Online at MNsure.org, or by phone on 651-431-2670. It is free and there is no open-enrollment window — you can apply at any time of year.

How often do I have to renew Minnesota Medicaid?

Adults covered through Medicaid expansion move from a yearly renewal to one every six months starting with renewals due on or after January 1, 2027. Children, people over 65 and most people covered on grounds of disability stay on yearly renewals. Keep your address and phone number current so the renewal notice reaches you, and answer it before the date on the letter — most people who lose coverage lose it over paperwork.

Other states

Guides for neighboring states

The rules change completely at the state line. If you moved recently, or you're helping family somewhere else, start with their state rather than this one.

IowaThe new work rules North DakotaThe new work rules South DakotaThe new work rules WisconsinWho the work rules reach

See all 50 states and Washington, D.C. on the map →

Minnesota lawmakers used state money to keep three months of retroactive Medical Assistance coverage in place through all of 2027 — about a year longer than most other states, where the federal cutback to one month (for MA expansion adults) or two months (everyone else) begins January 1, 2027.

The date that matters most is still January 1, 2027, when the new work/community-engagement requirement takes effect for an estimated 128,000 to 243,000 adults in Minnesota's expansion group, alongside a shift from yearly to six-month eligibility checks — so if you're in that group, keep your address current with your county or MNsure so you don't miss a renewal notice.

Updating your address takes two minutes and protects everything else. Do that first, then check the exemption list above.

Go to MNsure.org →