NEWS

A federal law passed in 2025 is changing the rules for Medicaid expansion plan members.  In Iowa, our Medicaid expansion plan is called the "Iowa Health and Wellness Plan."  This is different from regular Medicaid.  This is the plan for low-income Iowans who were not otherwise eligible for traditional Medicaid. It was authorized under the Affordable Care Act. 

Starting December 1, 2026, some Iowa Health and Wellness Plan (IHWP) members must meet monthly requirements to enroll and maintain coverage, focused on work and community involvement. These new work requirements, called Community Engagement Requirements, require 80 hours of work, education, or training each month. You can read more about these requirements and read the letters going out to members here.

• You can see who is excluded from these requirements here.

• If you are an IHWP member, you can check if these new requirements apply to you through the Iowa HHS self-service portal and by chatting with Ellie, the portal’s virtual assistant.  You can use the HHS Portal here.

HHS plans to use existing databases to verify work, but you may be required to provide proof you met the requirements.  Again, this only applies to those on the Iowa Health & Wellness Plan. These changes do not apply to traditional Medicaid or waiver services.