President Donald J. Trump’s “big beautiful bill” will make changes to how some people qualify or remain eligible for either Medicaid or food assistance over the next couple of years.
One of those revisions is the implementation of new work requirements — more people will need to work, train or volunteer at least 80 hours a month for access to these programs in the coming years, though there are various exemptions.
Those rules will apply to Medicaid, which is known as HUSKY in Connecticut, as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SNAP.
Supporters say it encourages participation in the workforce and ensures people aren’t taking advantage of safety net programs. But critics argue a majority of people who access these programs are already working and it imposes an extra layer for them to prove they’re engaging in the workforce or in a training program.
Since the “big beautiful bill” was enacted into law only a month ago, states are still figuring out what the changes will look like for applicants and beneficiaries as well as the agencies that’ll need to administer and enforce the new standards.
Here’s what we know so far.
What are work requirements and does Connecticut currently have them?
Public assistance programs may impose rules for some enrollees to be able to access and keep benefits. Such a requirement doesn’t necessarily mean an individual needs to get a job. A person can usually volunteer or participate in a training program to qualify.
Connecticut and most states don’t currently have any for Medicaid, and it will be a first when the new law kicks in on this front.
There are a set of nationwide rules already in place for SNAP benefits: general work requirements and additional ones for able-bodied adults without dependents.
The general requirement means you must register for work, participate in a SNAP Employment and Training program, take a “suitable job” if offered one and must not voluntarily leave a job or change hours to less than 30 hours a week “without a good reason.” There are exceptions for those who are pregnant, in school, as well as for caretakers of young children.
Able-bodied adults without dependents between the ages of 18 and 54 need to work or be involved in community engagement for at least 80 hours a month. If you don’t meet that requirement, you can lose SNAP benefits after three months and may need to wait the three-year period to get them again.
For SNAP, a dependent is currently defined as someone under the age of 18, but it is subject to change as part of the new law.
Who is exempt under the current and new work requirements?
Under SNAP’s current format, you don’t need to meet the work requirement for able-bodied adults without dependents if you are pregnant, have physical and mental limitations, have someone under the age of 18 living in your home, or are already excused under the general work requirement like for those in alcohol and drug treatment programs or if an enrollee is studying or in a training program at least half-time.
There are few groups of able-bodied adults without dependents who are currently excused from work requirements but will lose their exemptions under the new law: veterans, those experiencing homelessness, young adults aging out of foster care and parents and guardians who have someone 14 years and older living with them.
Once work requirements are enacted for HUSKY, there will be nearly a dozen exemptions: those who are pregnant and postpartum, foster youth, disabled veterans, those with alcohol and substance use disorders, beneficiaries who already meet the requirement through other federal programs, individuals with a short-term hardship waiver, recently incarcerated people, parents and caretakers of a dependent under the age of 14 or with a disability, and individuals who are medically frail.
When will the new rules go into effect and will it apply to me?
The exact timing and number of people work requirements will affect is still up in the air, unless you fall in one of the exempted categories listed above.
This is the first time Medicaid will be subject to work requirements in most states. The earliest it’ll go into effect is the beginning of 2027. But states like Connecticut may be able to delay it for another two years until 2029 if they show they are making good faith efforts to implement them.
The new rules will apply to the Medicaid expansion population, known as HUSKY D in Connecticut, which includes coverage for low-income adults without dependents.
For this population, to qualify for Medicaid as an adult under 65, a recipient will need to work or participate in training, education or community service at least 80 hours a month. That criteria will also apply to parents or guardians who have children ages 14 and older.
The state doesn’t know yet how many people in Connecticut could get kicked off Medicaid or won’t be eligible when applying because of work requirements specifically. But early reports about the “big beautiful bill” from Connecticut’s Department of Social Services and the state comptroller’s office estimate more generally that between 100,000 and 200,000 residents could lose their HUSKY coverage in the future for various reasons.
For SNAP, it will expand the work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents with the same minimum hours of work or community engagement for those on HUSKY. It is not clear when the stricter standards will go into effect and a DSS preliminary report said the effective date is “pending federal guidance.”
The law raises the age limit for able-bodied adults without dependents from 54 to 64. And it will also apply to able-bodied adults who have children 14 and older living at home. The bill lowered the age of a dependent, which is currently under age 18.
How will CT implement work requirements?
Connecticut’s Department of Social Services, which oversees HUSKY and SNAP, is in the process of working out how it’ll address the uptick in verifying eligibility and enforcement around both sets of work requirements.
Officials predict Connecticut could see new expenses ranging from $20 million to $50 million, according to a report from the state comptroller’s office. Those costs will likely be used for new technology and increased staffing levels to see which residents on HUSKY are complying with the work requirements and who is exempt.
In Connecticut, 73% of adults on Medicaid are working, according to the nonprofit KFF. But state officials are warning some enrollees who are already working or those who are eligible for an exemption may lose coverage if they fail to provide the necessary paperwork that they’re meeting the qualifications for benefits.
“Many people who are meeting the requirement are projected to lose coverage due to the new compliance paperwork,” the state comptroller report stated in July. “Many of those not working, for example, due to caregiving responsibilities or a disability, would qualify for an exemption, but even significant numbers of those who should be exempt are expected to be disenrolled due to the new bureaucracy involved with proving it.”
The Connecticut Mirror/Connecticut Public Radio federal policy reporter position is made possible, in part, by funding from the Robert and Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation.
This story was originally published by the Connecticut Mirror.
