Healthy Michigan Plan Work Requirements and Six-Month Renewals: Key 2027 Dates

Updated November 4, 2026, based on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and CMS as of that date.

Both changes start January 1, 2027, for adults ages 19 to 64 on the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP). From that date, MDHHS will move most HMP members from annual renewals to renewals every six months, and new applicants will answer work and exemption questions on the application itself.

People already on HMP meet the work requirement later, at renewals on or after March 1, 2027. The MDHHS release announcing its MI WEST screening tool adds that members with January or February 2027 renewals "will not be reviewed for work requirements until their renewals in 2028."

Both changes come from H.R. 1, and our guide to the federal changes covers the federal rules behind them.

When each change starts in Michigan

MDHHS's Upcoming Federal Medicaid Changes page and the Healthy Michigan Plan work requirements page give these dates:

• January 1, 2027: six-month renewals begin for HMP adults.
• January 1, 2027: work requirements apply to new HMP applicants.
• Renewals on or after March 1, 2027: work requirements apply to people already on HMP.
• January 1, 2027: retroactive coverage gets shorter for all Medicaid members.

How Michigan will renew HMP adults

MDHHS "will try to automatically renew your coverage using information already available to us about your approved activities, income, or exemption status," the work requirements page says. If it can verify every requirement, work included, coverage renews automatically. If not, MDHHS asks the member for more information.

Requests go out through the member's MI Bridges communication preference, or by mail. The changes page warns that members "may receive more requests to confirm information, such as income or household size."

CMS's slides on six-month renewals set the federal floor: an ex parte renewal first, then a prepopulated form with at least 30 days to return it, and at least 10 days' notice before coverage ends. CMS also gave states two ways to move people enrolled on January 1, 2027 onto the six-month schedule: reschedule renewals already set for 2027, or wait for each person's next scheduled renewal. Michigan's pages don't say which it chose.

How Michigan will check work requirements

A member meets the requirement by earning at least $580 in one month, or by completing 80 hours of approved activities in one month. Activities can be combined and include work, volunteering, job programs and school. MDHHS notes that $580 is not a Medicaid income limit.

The review period depends on the person:

• Applicants must meet it in the month before they apply or the month they apply. Meeting it the month before means coverage may start in the application month; meeting it in the application month means coverage may start the next month.
• Seasonal workers applying for coverage can use their average monthly income over the last 12 months.
• Current members must meet it in at least one month since their last renewal, or since coverage started if it's their first renewal.

MDHHS "will use available data sources to check for exemptions, but you may also need to notify MDHHS about your exemptions." People who follow SNAP work rules or meet TANF work requirements are exempt, and MDHHS checks that automatically. Other exemptions include pregnancy or a birth in the past 12 months, parents or caregivers of a child 13 or under, caregivers of someone with a disability, American Indians and Alaska Natives, former foster youth under 26, and disabled veterans. People in substance use disorder treatment, in jail or prison now or in the past three months, or facing a temporary hardship such as a hospital stay are exempt as well. So are medically frail members, whom MDHHS describes as people living with a substance use disorder, a disability that makes daily activities hard, a mental health disorder, or a serious condition that needs regular treatment.

Members report changes through "Report My Changes" in MI Bridges or at a local MDHHS office. Anyone who doesn't meet the requirement, qualify for an exemption or respond to notices loses HMP. They can appeal, and they can regain coverage by meeting the requirement or qualifying for an exemption in a later period.

What changes for providers and health centers

Retroactive coverage is shorter from January 1, 2027. Medicaid could previously cover services up to three months before the application date. HMP members will get up to one month and other Medicaid groups up to two. MDHHS says "applying for Medicaid as soon as possible will become more important to avoid uncovered medical bills."

MDHHS's Community Partner Toolkit has flyers in English, Arabic and Spanish on work requirements and "the new six-month renewal process," plus posters, social posts and a presentation deck. It links MI WEST, the Michigan Work and Exemptions Screening Tool, which helps someone see whether they may be exempt, already meet the requirement, or need to do more. MDHHS calls it "an informational resource, not an official application or renewal."

The toolkit also hosts recordings of the HR1 & Medicaid Webinar Series. The third session covers the medical frailty exemption and the MI WEST tool.

MDHHS's H.R. 1 pages give no separate billing or presumptive eligibility instructions for providers. Patients with questions can call the Beneficiary Help Line at 1-800-642-3195 (TTY 1-866-501-5656).

What Michigan hasn't decided yet

The work requirements page says MDHHS is reviewing the federal rule released June 1, and the July 23, 2026 MDHHS release says it is "working to update systems, train staff and develop educational materials." These points are open:

• Which CMS transition option Michigan chose, and when members with January or February 2027 renewals get their first six-month renewal. The pages say only that their work requirement review waits until 2028.
• How far ahead notices go out. MDHHS says only that they arrive before changes take effect.
• Which data MDHHS will use for automatic renewals and exemption checks, and how it will verify medical frailty.
• The applicant look-back. The MDHHS work requirements and six-month renewals flyer says applicants must meet the requirement "in the month before coverage begins." The web page says the month before applying or the month of applying. Confirm with MDHHS before training staff on either.

Frequently asked questions

Do HMP members have to prove work every month?

No. They need to meet the requirement, or qualify for an exemption, in at least one month between renewals.

A patient has SNAP and HMP. Do they report work twice?

No. People who follow SNAP work rules or meet TANF work requirements are exempt from the HMP requirement, and MDHHS checks this automatically.

Can someone who loses HMP over work requirements get Marketplace subsidies?

No. If the work requirement is the only reason they lost HMP, they can't get premium tax credits on the Marketplace.

Keeping HMP patients covered through more frequent renewals?

Champ automates portal work like eligibility checks. We set it up and run it, so your staff sees only the finished results, and we can handle the patient outreach too. If six-month renewals will mean more coverage checks for your health center, learn more here.

This post is general information, not legal, compliance or billing advice. Medicaid rules vary by state and change often, so confirm with MDHHS before acting. Champ is not affiliated with or endorsed by any state agency or CMS.