Changes Are Coming to AHCCCS:
What You Need to Know About Work Requirements and 6-Month Renewals
What's Changing?
Work Requirements
If the work requirements apply to you, there are a few ways to meet them. You can:
- Earn at least $580 in a month
- Complete at least 80 hours of approved activities in a month; or a mix of them. Approved activities are: working, going to school, a job training or work program, and community service or volunteering.
- Do a mix of both - earn some money and do some hours of approved activities.
Some people do not have to meet the work requirements. This is called an exemption. Read the FAQs to find out who is exempt.
6-Month Renewals
Most individuals in the adult group will renew their AHCCCS coverage every 6 months. If you renew your coverage in 2026, you will stay on a 12-month renewal until your next renewal in 2027. Read the FAQs to find out how the changes to 6-month renewals may impact you.
To find out if work requirements apply to you, take our short screener.
What You Need to Know
Starting January 1, 2027, some adults ages 19-64 on AHCCCS will renew their coverage every 6-months and have new work requirements. These changes come from a new federal law, which impacts the “adult group.” AHCCCS will let you know if these changes apply to you. You don’t need to do anything right now.
Most AHCCCS Members Are Not Impacted
You may not be affected if you are:
- Under age 19
- Age 65 or older
- Pregnant or were pregnant in the last 12 months
- An American Indian/Alaska Native
- Enrolled in the Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS)
- Eligible for AHCCCS due to disability
What Should I Do Right Now?
Keep your address, phone number, and email up to date with AHCCCS, and open any mail or messages you get from them. This is how you’ll find out if the changes apply to you and what steps to take. Beyond that, no action is needed right now.
Update Your Contact Information
Update Information in Health-e-Arizona Plus.
Where To Get Help
View FAQ
Learn If Work Requirements May Apply
Take our short screener.
Member FAQs
Where can I get help?
Free help is available. You can:
- Chat live at https://chat.healthearizonaplus.gov/
- Call (855) 220-0903, Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Arizona time
- Ask a Community Assistor. You can search for one here.
- Visit your local DES office. Find the nearest office online at https://des.az.gov/find-your-local-office
Do the new work requirements apply to me?
The new work requirements only apply to one kind of AHCCCS coverage – the adult group. You may be in the adult group if you:
- Are 19 to 64 years old,
- Don’t have Medicare, and
- Have a low income.
Not everyone on AHCCCS is in the adult group, and the work requirements don’t apply to everyone in this group. You may be exempt from the work requirements. AHCCCS will let you know if the requirements apply to you. You don’t need to do anything right now.
When will AHCCCS check if I meet the work requirements?
If you are renewing your AHCCCS coverage, AHCCCS will see if you met the requirements by checking your income and activities in the months since your last renewal. You only need to meet the work requirements in one of those months to keep your coverage.
What if I have a seasonal job?
Some people only work during certain times of the year. For example, you may work as a lifeguard in the summer or at a store during the holidays.
If you have this kind of job, AHCCCS will look at your average income for the past 12 months. If your average income is at least $580 a month, you meet the work requirements. If your average income is less than $580 a month, AHCCCS will also look at your average income for the past 6 months. If your average income for the past 6 months is at least $580 a month, you meet the work requirements.
Who is exempt?
Some people do not have to meet the work requirements. This is called an exemption.
You may be exempt from the work requirements if you are:
- An American Indian or Alaska Native
- A veteran with a 100% total disability rating
- A caregiver for a child age 13 and younger, or for a person with a disability
- Under age 26 and you were in foster care at age 18
- Living with a mental health condition that affects my daily life.
- Living with blindness or a disability.
- Living with a physical, intellectual, or developmental disability that makes at least one everyday activity hard to do.
- Living with a serious or complex health condition that makes it hard for me to meet work requirements.
- Living with a substance use disorder that makes it hard for me to meet work requirements.
- Getting treatment for drug or alcohol use
- Pregnant, or were pregnant in the last 12 months
- Already meet work requirements for SNAP (Nutrition Assistance) or TANF (Cash Assistance)
- In jail or prison, or were released in the last 3 months
You may get a temporary exemption from the work requirements if you:
- Are getting care in a hospital or nursing home
- Must travel away from home for medical care for yourself or a dependent
- Live in an Arizona county with a disaster declared by the President
- Live in an Arizona county with high unemployment
For a hospital stay or travel for medical care, you may need to tell AHCCCS if this applies to you. For people who live in a county with a disaster or high unemployment, AHCCCS will let you know if this applies to you.
Do I need to prove I'm exempt from work requirements or meeting them?
During your first renewal of 2027, AHCCCS will check using information they already have to see if you are exempt or meet work requirements.
If AHCCCS needs more information, they will ask you for it. Please do not send information unless AHCCCS asks.
What happens if I don't meet the work requirements?
If the work requirements apply to you and you don’t meet them, you could lose your AHCCCS coverage. This will not happen right away.
First, AHCCCS will check the information it already has. If AHCCCS needs more information, they will let you know. You can send information that shows you do not have to meet the work requirements or that you already meet them. You will have 35 days to reply.
If you don’t reply in time, or if AHCCCS needs more information, they will send you a notice. This notice will say your coverage will end. You will have 30 more days to show you meet the work requirements. The notice will also tell you:
- Why your coverage may end;
- The date it will end; and
- How to ask AHCCCS to review (or appeal) the decision.
Keep your address, phone number, and email address up to date. Open all mail from AHCCCS, so you don’t miss an important date.
I'm American Indian or Alaska Native. Do these changes apply to me?
The new work requirements and 6-month renewals don’t apply to American Indians and Alaska Natives.
If AHCCCS already has this information, you will be exempt automatically and do not need to take any extra steps.
You may still get a letter in September 2026 from AHCCCS about the new work requirements. This is because the law says AHCCCS must tell everyone with AHCCCS coverage. The requirements still don’t apply to you. A letter confirming your specific status, and a request for any information needed will be mailed to you before your next renewal in 2027.
How will the new changes to 6-month renewals impact me?
Starting January 1, 2027, most individuals in the adult group will renew their AHCCCS coverage every 6 months. This replaces the yearly renewal.
If you renew your coverage in 2026, you will stay on a 12-month renewal until your next renewal in 2027. For example, if you renew in December 2026, your next renewal is December 2027. After that, you will renew every 6 months.
Resources
Not sure where to start? These resources can help you meet the requirements or find support along the way.
Volunteer Opportunities — Volunteering counts toward your work requirement. Find local opportunities near you.
Job Opportunities — Browse job openings across Arizona through AZ Job Connection.
Do the new work requirements apply to you?
Starting January 1, 2027, there are new work requirements for some adults on AHCCCS. They come from a new federal law. The requirements apply to some adults ages 19 to 64. Answer a few quick questions to see if they may apply to you.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The federal government made updates to this law on June 1, 2026. This means there may be changes to the information in this screener. We will update the screener when more information is available.
This is not an application, and it is not a decision about your AHCCCS coverage. It is for information only.
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