Governor Maura Healey announced a coordinated statewide effort to help hundreds of thousands of MassHealth members understand and navigate new federal Medicaid requirements that will take effect over the coming months. Working alongside the Legislature, Health Care For All, and nearly 50 community-based organizations, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is launching an extensive outreach and education campaign to help eligible residents maintain their health coverage.

A federal law passed by Congress and signed by the President July of 2025 requires states to implement significant changes to Medicaid programs nationwide. Beginning in January 2027, approximately 360,000 MassHealth members may face new work and education reporting requirements. Many of those members will also be required to renew their coverage every six months instead of every year, creating new administrative hurdles that could cause eligible residents to lose coverage because of missed paperwork or reporting deadlines.

National research, including a KFF report published last year, consistently shows that most working-age adults enrolled in Medicaid already work, attend school, care for family members, or live with disabilities or chronic health conditions. Studies of similar policies in other states have found that work reporting requirements primarily create additional paperwork and administrative burdens rather than increasing employment, often resulting in eligible people losing health coverage.

The campaign announced today is aimed at preventing unnecessary coverage loss by helping MassHealth enrollees and applicants understand what changes are coming, who is affected, and what steps need to be taken to keep their coverage.

To support this effort, the Governor and Legislature invested $10 million to support Health Care For All and a statewide network of nearly 50 community-based organizations that will provide outreach, enrollment assistance and one-on-one support to MassHealth members. MassHealth estimates implementing these federally required changes will also require approximately $30 million in state investments for staffing, outreach and technology upgrades.

MassHealth has spent more than a year preparing to implement these federally required changes while minimizing the burden on members wherever possible. The agency will automatically identify members who qualify for exemptions using information already on file and use data matching to verify work and education requirements whenever possible, reducing the amount of paperwork members must submit. MassHealth will also contact impacted members directly through mail, text messages, emails and automated phone calls before they are required to take any action.

What MassHealth Members and Applicants Need to Know

Over the coming months, there will be changes to MassHealth eligibility because of a federal law passed by Congress and signed by President Trump.

Beginning in October 2026

• Some lawfully present immigrants will no longer be eligible for comprehensive MassHealth coverage because of changes required under federal law.

Beginning in January 2027

• Some MassHealth members ages 19-64 will be required to document that they meet new federal work or education requirements.
• Many of those members will also need to renew their MassHealth coverage every six months instead of every year.

Important Exemptions

Many members will not be required to meet the new work and education requirements. Exemptions may apply to members who are

• Pregnant
• Parenting children age 13 or younger
• Living with a disability
• Managing certain health condition

MassHealth will automatically identify members who qualify for these exemptions whenever possible using information on file.

What Members Should Do Now

• Make sure MassHealth has your current mailing address, email address and cell phone number
• Open every letter you receive from MassHealth, including your blue renewal envelope
• Watch for emails, text messages and automated calls from MassHealth
• Visit mass.gov/MassHealthMemberChanges to learn more, determine whether these changes apply to you and find a community-based organization in your area that can provide free enrollment assistance.