Don’t be caught without insurance if you or your loved ones have a medical emergency and need care right away – policy changes can happen unexpectedly.
Federal cuts will be coming to Medicaid. Nothing has changed yet, but it’s important to learn the facts and be ready.
The federal changes will make it harder to get and keep Medicaid health insurance – also known as Medical Assistance in Minnesota.
One of the most important things you can do is make sure you and your loved ones have health insurance now.
Speak with your navigator to find out if you are eligible for Medicaid and sign up today. Getting and staying insured is your strongest protection against staying out of medical debt. Don’t wait until you have an emergency.
Visit the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ federal changes website to learn the facts about the changes coming to Medicaid. The department will be your trusted guide on these coming changes.
Here’s what you need to know about the changes:
- Shorter periods of retroactive coverage = more medical debt?
It will become harder to get Medicaid to pay medical bills for care you received before you apply.
For the past 53 years – since 1972 – Medicaid has provided retroactive coverage going back up to three months from when you apply. If you end up in the hospital or have a health crisis, you’ve still got time to complete the paperwork and get insured.
But starting in January 2027, the federal government will shorten the periods for this retroactive coverage – down to one month for adults ages 21- 64 without dependent children who don’t get Medicaid based on a disability, and two months for everyone else.
Shorter retroactive coverage can hurt anyone who needs health insurance and qualifies for Medicaid but isn’t signed up yet, especially people who have a medical emergency, find out they have a health condition, experience a mental health issue or get sick. This change will disproportionately fall on Black Minnesotans, who already face some of the steepest income inequality gaps in the state and rely heavily on Medicaid.
- Work reporting requirements = more people eligible for Medicaid losing coverage?
Starting in January 2027, up to 225,000 adults in Minnesota could face new administrative reporting requirements to verify they are working, in school, in a work program or doing community service in order to be eligible for Medicaid. This will affect adults ages 21 to 64 who don’t have dependent children and who don’t get Medicaid based on a disability. People subject to this requirement who don’t meet the administrative reporting requirements or qualify for an exemption can lose their Medicaid benefits, even if they otherwise still qualify. Exemptions include caring for a family member with a disability, receiving substance use disorder treatment, being incarcerated or within 90 days of release from incarceration, being medically frail, and other circumstances.
The work reporting requirement will disproportionately hurt the Black community and cause people who qualify for Medicaid to lose their insurance because of administrative barriers. Most people who have Medicaid are already working, many of them in unstable, part-time or seasonal jobs with low pay.
For example, Marcus is a 37-year-old man who drives for a ride-share app and sometimes picks up restaurant shifts. He gets paid in cash or through apps. Documenting his work activity will be tough because he doesn’t get pay stubs. He also doesn’t own a printer. That means he’s more likely to lose Medicaid – not because he’s not working enough, but because he can’t meet the requirements. Without insurance that covers insulin for his diabetes, his health will suffer, and it will be harder for him to stay employed.
- More frequent renewals = more people eligible for Medicaid losing coverage?
Starting in January 2027, those same adults will have to renew their Medicaid insurance every six months, instead of once a year. More frequent renewals result in eligible enrollees losing their coverage because of administrative burdens – even though they may still qualify for Medicaid.
With these changes coming, what can you do now?
- Stay informed by visiting the federal changes page.
- Don’t wait. Enroll in Medical Assistance (Minnesota’s Medicaid program) now if you qualify. Contact a navigator today.
- Keep your contact information up to date so you don’t miss important time-sensitive materials.
- Renew Medical Assistance on time so you don’t lose your insurance. Look up your renewal date.
- If you’re currently enrolled and your renewal is current, there’s nothing else you need to do right now.
Share your story about Medicaid by visiting the Faces of Medicaid page.
