If you have an adult child in Pennsylvania who receives coverage through the Medicaid expansion, you may have heard about new federal work requirements starting in January 2027. We want to share some reassuring news about how the state plans to handle this for the disability community.
The new federal rules require 80 hours a month of work or community engagement, but they include an exemption for people who are medically frail. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has announced that they plan to use existing health records and billing data to automatically identify people who qualify for this exemption, including those with developmental disabilities that impair daily living activities.
The state’s goal is to minimize paperwork and make sure vulnerable individuals do not lose their coverage just because they missed a form. They are still waiting on final federal guidance, but the state is actively working to protect our community.
You can view the state’s full presentation on how they plan to process these exemptions on the PA Department of Human Services website.