5 Things to Know About Michigan’s Medicaid Work Requirements
Amy Barczy
| 4 min read
Amy Barczy is a former brand journalist who authored content at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Prior to her time at Blue Cross from 2019-2024, she was a statewide news reporter for MLive.com. She has a decade of storytelling experience in local news media markets including Lansing, Grand Rapids, Holland, Ann Arbor and Port Huron.
Changes are coming to Michigan’s Medicaid plan beginning in January 2020. As a result, anyone age 19 to 62 who has health care coverage through the Healthy Michigan Plan will have to complete monthly reports to the state about their work, school, volunteer, or other activities in order to maintain their Medicaid health care coverage. If individuals don’t meet the work reporting requirements for three months out of a calendar year, they could lose their Healthy Michigan Plan coverage. Some people may be exempt from these reporting requirements, for example if they are sick and cannot work. Here are five important things to know about the new monthly work reporting requirements:
- Make sure you can account for your time.
In order to maintain health care coverage under Medicaid’s Healthy Michigan Plan, beneficiaries will have to log at least 80 hours of qualifying activity each month. Qualifying activities include:
- Have a job or income
- Being a student
- Looking for a job
- Volunteering (only allowed in 3 of 12 months of the year)
- Job training
- Participating in a tribal employment program
- Participating in a rehab substance abuse program
- Vocational training
- Interning
Resources are available for individuals who need help finding a job, child care, transportation and more through the MI Bridges online portal, by dialing 2-1-1 or online at www.mi211.org.
- Make sure you know where and how to report your time.
Beginning February 2020, beneficiaries of the Healthy Michigan Plan will have to report their activity status monthly. This can be accomplished through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ MI Bridges online portal at www.michigan.gov/mibridges, or by calling the Healthy Michigan Plan Work Requirements and Exemption Reporting Line at 1-833-895-4355. You can also receive assistance with monthly reporting at local MDHHS offices.
- You may be exempt from monthly reporting requirements.
There are a variety of reasons you may not have to report your activity every month to the state. Here are the qualifying exemptions:
- A qualifying disability under the Social Security criteria
- Caring for a dependent with a disability, who has a doctor’s order for full-time care
- Caring for a person who cannot make decisions for themselves
- Chronic substance use disorder diagnosis
- Currently pregnant or pregnant within the past two months
- Domestic violence survivor
- Full-time student
- Homelessness
- In a nursing home, hospice care or receiving home help services
- Medical conditions that are physical, mental or emotional and limit daily activity like bathing
- Medical conditions that limit work, under a doctor’s approval
- Physical, intellectual or developmental disabilities that make a daily living activity difficult
- Receiving temporary or permanent disability payments from a private insurer or the government
- Receiving unemployment benefits from the state of Michigan
- Serious and complex medical condition, or special medical needs
- Served time in prison or jail within the past six months
- The primary caretaker for a family member under age six years
- Under age 21 and formerly in foster care in Michigan
Individuals may also be exempt from the monthly reporting requirements if they or one of their family members has a serious illness, is hospitalized or has a disability that is recognized by the government.
- Check your mail.
Officials with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services may have notified you already that you are exempt from monthly reporting requirements. Letters to exempt beneficiaries were mailed in October 2019 notifying them of their exempt status.
- Claim your exemption by Jan. 31, 2020.
If you meet one of the qualifying criteria for exemption, beneficiaries need to notify the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services by Jan. 31, 2020. That can be done in the following ways:
- Through your online account at michigan.gov/mibridges
- Call the HMP Work Requirements and Exemption Reporting Line at 1-833-895-4355
- Fill out an exemption form, MSA-1905, and mail it to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services by Jan. 31, 2020. Those forms can be found online here. For assistance filling out the form, call 1-800-642-3195.
Anyone with additional questions about the reporting requirements, or for assistance in translating materials, should contact the state’s Beneficiary Help Line at 1-800-642-3195 or visit HealthyMichiganPlan.org. More from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan:
