FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky residents enrolled in Medicaid should begin preparing now for new federal work reporting requirements that take effect in 2027, according to state health officials and advocacy groups.

Certain adults must document at least 80 hours per month of work, education or community service to maintain their health coverage, under new federal changes announced by the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services. While the reporting requirements don't begin until 2027, new questions about work status have already been added to Medicaid applications.

Emily Beauregard, executive director of Kentucky Voices for Health, urged households to update their contact information to ensure they receive important notices about the new requirements. "Families can prepare by updating their contact information to make sure they get Medicaid notices," Beauregard said. "The notices will indicate if any adults in the household are enrolled in Medicaid expansion and subject to the new requirements."

Medicaid recipients should also begin collecting documentation proving they meet work requirements or qualify for exemptions, Beauregard advised. Multiple exemptions exist for caregivers, people with disabilities or chronic health conditions, and those facing extenuating circumstances such as high unemployment or natural disasters.

Children, seniors 64 and older, and Kentuckians receiving services through home and community-based waivers remain exempt from the requirements regardless of work status.

The Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services began mailing official outreach notifications regarding the community engagement rules to households statewide in July. The department previously outlined the timeline and details of the changes on its website.

Kentucky expanded Medicaid coverage in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act. The state currently provides coverage to hundreds of thousands of adults through the Medicaid expansion program.