The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) announced it will begin rolling out new work and community engagement requirements for certain Medicaid recipients starting July 1, 2026. However, beneficiaries will not face penalties for non-compliance until January 1, 2027. Read more below about how it works.
The requirement applies to many adults enrolled in Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me (ARHOME), the state’s Medicaid expansion program.
REQUIREMENTS:
Under the program, healthy adults ages 19 to 64 enrolled in ARHOME must:
- Work,
- Volunteer, or
- Attend school…
for at least 20 hours per week (80 hours per month).
EXCEPT IF:
Certain individuals will not be required to meet the work requirement, including:
- Pregnant and postpartum women,
- Disabled veterans,
- Caregivers, and
- Individuals with special medical needs.
DHS will use automated processes beginning July 1 to determine whether beneficiaries are exempt, meeting the requirement, or not meeting it.
DEADLINE:
The change comes as part of a federal budget bill signed into law last year requiring states with expanded Medicaid programs to implement work and community engagement requirements by January 1, 2027.
Beginning that date, beneficiaries who are not exempt and fail to comply could lose coverage or be denied at application.
As of February 1, approximately 217,000 Arkansans were enrolled in ARHOME.
HOW:
During 2026, DHS will:
- Run automated checks on eligibility and compliance
- Notify beneficiaries of their status
- Provide education and outreach
- Work with partners and providers to refine the system
No penalties will be imposed during this phase. The goal is to ensure beneficiaries understand the requirement and have time to prepare before it is fully enforced in 2027.
Starting in December 2026, a contracted vendor will begin outbound calls to verify community engagement status when automated systems cannot confirm compliance. Beneficiaries will also be able to report qualifying activities:
- Online,
- By phone, or
- At local DHS county offices.
Beginning January 1, 2027, individuals who do not meet the requirement will have 30 days to show compliance before their Medicaid benefits are suspended.
UPDATES:
DHS is urging Medicaid recipients to:
- Ensure your mailing address, phone number, and email are up to date.
- Sign up for email and text alerts at Access.Arkansas.gov
- Update contact information at ar.gov/update
DHS officials say they remain in communication with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and expect additional guidance as the program develops.
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