Medicaid Work Requirements in New Jersey
Beginning January 1, 2027, certain NJ FamilyCare adults ages 19 to 64 in plan type ABP must meet the requirement. Members are checked at their first renewal on or after that date, then every 6 months.
Check your situation in New Jersey
When it starts in New Jersey
- Fall 2026: the general notice about the requirement is mailed.
- January 1, 2027: the requirement starts. Renewal packets arrive about two months before your renewal date.
- January 1, 2028: documents may be required for job training or volunteering.
Who has to meet it
The rule applies to people ages 19 to 64 in NJ FamilyCare Plan ABP (the adult expansion group), unless they are pregnant, have Medicare, or are exempt. You meet it in a month with 80 hours of work, community service, a work program, or school (in any mix), by going to school at least half-time, or with at least $580 in monthly income.
You are exempt if, for example, you care for a child 13 or younger or a person with a disability, are pregnant or postpartum, are American Indian or Alaska Native, are medically frail, are a veteran with a total (100%) VA disability rating or TDIU, were in foster care at 18 and are under 26, are in drug or alcohol treatment, meet SNAP or TANF work rules, or left jail or prison in the last 3 months. See the full exemption list.
Court ruling, October 29, 2026. In Massachusetts v. Oz, a federal court struck down the CMS rule's extra "significantly impairs" test for the medically frail exemption. If you are in any of the five medically frail groups in the law, you qualify. New Jersey was one of the parties that sued, so the court also gave New Jersey six months of relief from federal enforcement of its medically frail decisions while it updates its systems. The January 1, 2027 start date did not change, and CMS may appeal. What the ruling means.
How New Jersey checks and how to report
Months checked: At least one month since your last renewal.
NJ FamilyCare checks data it already has, such as wage records. If it cannot confirm, it sends a request for information that is usually due 30 days from the letter date. Do not send documents until asked. In 2027 you can confirm job training or volunteering yourself.
Other things to know in New Jersey
- You can meet the rule with household income of at least $580 a month, half-time school, or 80 hours a month of work, school, job training, or volunteering.
- Check your plan type (ABP) on your health plan ID card or by calling your plan.
- If your coverage ends, ask for a fair hearing within 30 days of the termination notice. You can buy coverage at GetCoveredNJ, but without financial help.
Official tools and contacts
- Check if it applies: NJ FamilyCare Activity Requirements Checker
- Report and upload: NJ FamilyCare contact update
- NJ FamilyCare Customer Service (TTY 711): 1-800-701-0710
- Work requirements and contact updates: 1-833-409-2370
- DMAHS: work requirements
- Member notice (PDF)
- Agency: NJ Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS)
Federal protections that apply in New Jersey
- The state must check its own records before asking you for proof.
- If it can't confirm you meet the rule, you get a notice and at least 30 days to respond, and your coverage continues meanwhile.
- You get written notice and the right to a fair hearing before coverage ends, and you can reapply at any time.
- If you lose Medicaid for not meeting the rule, you cannot get marketplace premium tax credits for those months. Learn more.
Frequently asked questions
When do Medicaid work requirements start in New Jersey?
January 1, 2027. Current members are usually checked at their first renewal on or after that date.
How many months does New Jersey check?
At least one month since your last renewal.
How do I report my hours or an exemption in New Jersey?
NJ FamilyCare checks data it already has, such as wage records. If it cannot confirm, it sends a request for information that is usually due 30 days from the letter date. Do not send documents until asked. In 2027 you can confirm job training or volunteering yourself.
Who do I call about NJ FamilyCare Plan ABP work requirements?
NJ FamilyCare Customer Service (TTY 711): 1-800-701-0710
Work requirements and contact updates: 1-833-409-2370
Can I lose NJ FamilyCare Plan ABP right away if I don't meet the requirement?
No. Federal law requires a notice, at least 30 days to show you comply or are exempt, continued coverage during that time, and fair hearing rights before coverage ends.
Sources
- NJ DMAHS: work requirements
- NJ DMAHS: community engagement member notice
- Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1), sec. 71119: community engagement requirement (GovInfo)
- CMS interim final rule, Medicaid community engagement requirement, 91 FR 33348 (June 3, 2026)
- Massachusetts v. Oz, No. 1:26-cv-12962-RGS (D. Mass.), memorandum and order (Oct. 29, 2026)