Georgia Medicaid work requirement
Georgia did not adopt the ACA expansion, so the federal rule's expansion requirement does not apply broadly here. But Georgia runs its own program - Pathways to Coverage - which has required 80 hours a month of work, school, or service since July 2023 for the adults it covers, and CMS's June 2026 list includes Georgia's 1115 waiver enrollees among those subject to the federal requirement. If you are on Pathways, an 80-hour rule applies to you now.
What this means for you
If you are covered through Pathways, the 80-hour requirement applies to you NOW: log your hours, keep proof, and report on your program's schedule. The exemption quiz and what-counts guide use the same 80-hour framework.
The rule in one paragraph
Adults 19-64 covered through the ACA expansion group must show 80 hours a month of work, community service, or work programs — or half-time school enrollment, or at least $580/month in income — unless exempt. Compliance is checked at application and at renewals (at least every 6 months). Miss it and the state must give 30 days notice before coverage ends.
The 10 federal exemptions
- Under 19 or over 64
- Pregnant or postpartum
- Parent or caretaker of a child 13 or younger, or of a disabled person
- Medically frail or with special medical needs
- Veteran with a total disability rating
- American Indian / Alaska Native
- Already meeting SNAP or TANF work rules
- Recently released from incarceration
- In a drug or alcohol treatment program
- Short-term hardship
Do my hours count?
- Paid employment Counts
- Self-employment / gig work Counts
- Volunteering Counts
- School / training Half-time+
- Caregiving Exempts you instead
- Job searching Not federally
Full detail, including the $580/month income route and the seasonal-worker rule: what counts toward the 80 hours.
Verify with Georgia Pathways to Coverage (your state Medicaid agency) before making coverage decisions. States control reporting systems, exact dates, and hardship processes. Data snapshot 2026-07-03.
Sources
- H.R. 1 as enacted (Public Law 119-21), Congress.gov
- Medicaid.gov — official federal Medicaid site
- HealthCare.gov — marketplace coverage options
- KFF Medicaid policy tracking
Related state guides:
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