Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare will be requiring all recipients of Medicaid to report 80 hours of qualifying activities a month or are earning at least $580 a month in order to qualify. Qualifying activities include school, volunteering and work.
These changes come after the adoption of the Big Beautiful Bill, which was passed in 2025. According to the Idaho Capital Sun, the Idaho Legislature and Governor Brad Little approved the new work requirements through House Bill 913. Medicaid is a state based healthcare provider that provides free or low cost health insurance to families or individuals who have finanical need, determined by the State of Idaho’s critria. Its funding comes from the state.
Individuals applying after Jan. 1, 2027, will need to have proof they have earned at least $580 or performed 80 hours of qualified activities for three months prior to application date.
“I wasn’t fully sure how the 80 hour requirement would work when it comes to college enrollment but from what I’ve seen it’ll only require half time enrollment which doesn’t seem too bad,” said sophomore David Espinoza, a fire ecology major in an Argonaut interview.
If an individual is an existing recipient of Medicaid, IDHW will be checking to see if you meet new requirements based on information they already obtain. According to the IDHW Medicaid expansion website: “for individuals already on Medicaid, the work requirement review period is six months.”
This screening process will begin with individuals whose Medicaid is up for renewal on and after Jan. 1, 2027.
“As a student I would much rather jump through the hoops,” said Espinoza “because despite the time wasted it is still far better than the insurance fee the school offers.”
There are a few exceptions to these new conditions. Some of them include being pregnant, if you are a caregiver of a child 13 years or younger and American Indian or Alaska Native. For a complete list of exceptions, visit the IDHW website.
In preparation for these new changes, IDHW recommends individuals begin to track pay stubs, work/volunteer hours and update contact information.
Emily Morales can be reached at [email protected]