Medicaid Work Requirements in Rhode Island
Some Rhode Island Medicaid members ages 19 to 64 in the expansion program must meet community engagement requirements starting January 1, 2027. The state says you only need to meet the 80-hour rule for one month out of every six.
Limited official details so far. Rhode Island's published details are brief. Confirm specifics with DHS.
Check your situation in Rhode Island
When it starts in Rhode Island
- January 1, 2027: the requirement and 6-month renewals begin.
Who has to meet it
The rule applies to people ages 19 to 64 in the Medicaid 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. Rhode Island was one of the parties that sued, so the court also gave Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island checks and how to report
Months checked: One month out of every six.
Notices go to your HealthyRhode account (and by mail if you chose paper) with instructions for sending documents. The state says income can be verified automatically if it already has your information.
Other things to know in Rhode Island
- People meeting TANF or SNAP work rules do not have to meet the Medicaid rule.
- Most Rhode Island parents with low incomes are covered in a different group and are not subject.
Official tools and contacts
- Check if it applies: Medicaid Work Requirements Screener
- Report and upload: HealthyRhode
- RI DHS Call Center: 1-855-697-4347
- StayCovered RI: work requirements
- How to meet Medicaid work requirements
- Agency: RI Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and Department of Human Services
Federal protections that apply in Rhode Island
- 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 Rhode Island?
January 1, 2027. Current members are usually checked at their first renewal on or after that date.
How many months does Rhode Island check?
One month out of every six.
How do I report my hours or an exemption in Rhode Island?
Notices go to your HealthyRhode account (and by mail if you chose paper) with instructions for sending documents. The state says income can be verified automatically if it already has your information.
Who do I call about Rhode Island Medicaid work requirements?
RI DHS Call Center: 1-855-697-4347
Can I lose Rhode Island Medicaid 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
- StayCovered RI: work requirements
- StayCovered RI: community engagement requirements
- Georgetown CCF: tracking Rhode Island implementation
- 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)