SNAP and Medicaid eligibility rules are shifting. How to find out if you qualify

Thousands of New Yorkers have lost food aid, and new Medicaid rules are approaching. Here’s how to check whether you qualify.

Beginning Jan. 1, many New Yorkers ages 19 to 64 will need to show they earn at least $580 a month or spend 80 hours monthly working, studying or volunteering to qualify for Medicaid or keep it. Some will also have to renew coverage every six months instead of once a year.

Those changes come on top of a series of updates to safety net programs. City officials say about 26,500 New Yorkers lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits after work rules took effect in March. The changes also removed an automatic SNAP exemption for veterans without a qualifying disability. In addition, some immigrants, including refugees, asylees, parolees and survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking, are no longer eligible for SNAP. Many of these residents have been shifted from Medicaid to the Essential Plan, a separate state health insurance program.

The city has also rolled out a website to help residents sort through the new rules. It explains who still qualifies, how to remain eligible and where to get help. Some people who believe they lost coverage or benefits may still qualify, including certain SNAP recipients who can reapply.

Here is a guide to the SNAP and Medicaid changes, including major dates, federal work rules and other eligibility standards.

Jump ahead

What are the key dates to know?

• March 1, 2026: Expanded SNAP rules took effect.
• Oct. 1, 2026: New York restarted its three-year tracking period for the SNAP time limit. Some people who lost benefits after hitting the time limit can reapply.
• Dec. 31, 2026: People who apply for Medicaid by this date will get 12 months of coverage before six-month renewals begin.
• Jan. 1, 2027: New Medicaid work requirements take effect. People who apply for Medicaid on or after this date will have to renew every six months.
• March 1, 2027: Existing Medicaid enrollees could begin facing the new requirements and six-month renewals when they renew.

Who has to follow the new SNAP work rules?

The expanded federal rules apply to adults who are:

• Between 18 and 64 years old
• Able to work
• Not living with a child younger than 14

On official forms, this group is known as “Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents,” or ABAWD.

What are the new SNAP work rules?

To satisfy SNAP work requirements, ABAWD recipients must spend at least 80 hours a month:

• Working a job,
• Taking part in job training,
• Volunteering in their community, and/or
• Combining those activities.

People who do not meet the work rules can still receive SNAP for three months during a three-year period. The New York City Human Resources Administration, or HRA, sends reminders and outreach explaining how to meet the rules or qualify for an exemption.

For New Yorkers looking for work, approved activities can include resumé workshops, job searches through sites such as JobZone and Virtual Career Center, and other HRA-approved steps.

The best way to confirm whether an activity counts is to call 718-SNAP-NOW (718-762-7669).

Who has lost eligibility?

Starting March 1, 2026, the following New Yorkers lost automatic SNAP exemptions that had allowed them to receive benefits without meeting work requirements:

• Veterans without a severe disability
• People experiencing homelessness
• Former foster youth under 25

Some immigrants are no longer eligible for SNAP, including refugees, asylees, parolees and survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking. As of Oct. 1, many of these immigrants also lost eligibility for federally funded Medicaid. Some may still qualify for state-funded Medicaid or the Essential Plan, a state-run health program for people with low income.

Beginning in September, the state Department of Health started sending notices to people affected by the changes to explain that their eligibility would be reviewed under the new rules and to request more information if needed. Green card holders generally remain eligible for both SNAP and Medicaid.

For help understanding how the changes affect you or your family, call the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs at 1-800-354-0365.

Who is exempt from SNAP work rules?

Anyone in the ABAWD category who earns $217.50 or more a week before taxes, based on the federal minimum wage times 30 hours, is exempt from the new SNAP work-hour requirements.

Other exemptions depend on personal circumstances and may include people who:

• Are pregnant
• Have a disability or physical or mental health condition that prevents them from meeting the work requirement
• Are caring for a child under 6 or for someone with a disability who needs care
• Receive or are applying for unemployment benefits
• Are participating in substance-use treatment
• Meet Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, work rules
• Are enrolled at least half time in a qualifying career and technical education program

Hunger Solutions NY has more information about student eligibility for SNAP.

The City University of New York also provides a list of qualifying career and technical education programs.

What if I think I’m exempt?

If you believe you qualify for an exemption, check with HRA to confirm your eligibility and learn the next steps. For example, if you plan to meet the ABAWD work requirement through volunteering, HRA staff can tell you whether the placement qualifies and how many hours count.

What if I lost SNAP benefits?

New York’s three-year tracking period for the SNAP time limit restarted on Oct. 1. That means people whose SNAP benefits ended because they hit the three-month limit without meeting the work rules can reapply and may qualify again, even if they are no longer meeting the requirements.

If they qualify, they can receive SNAP for another three months. After that, they generally must meet the work rules or qualify for an exemption to keep receiving benefits.

The reset applies only to people who lost SNAP because of the three-month time limit. It does not restore benefits that ended for other reasons, such as income changes or missing paperwork.

For help checking eligibility or reapplying, visit nyc.gov/workrules or call 718-SNAP-NOW (718-762-7669).

What are the new Medicaid rules?

Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, many Medicaid applicants ages 19 to 64 will have to meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Earn at least $580 a month.
• Spend at least 80 hours a month working, attending school at least half time, participating in a job training or work program and/or volunteering in the community.

Applicants can combine earnings and qualifying activities to satisfy the rule. People already enrolled in Medicaid could begin facing the new requirements when renewals start in March 2027.

Who may be exempt from the new Medicaid rules?

Under current state guidance, exemptions include adults who:

• Are pregnant or were pregnant within the past 12 months
• Have certain disabilities or health conditions
• Care for a child younger than 14 or for a person with a disability
• Are entitled to or enrolled in Medicare Part A, or enrolled in Medicare Part B
• Qualify for other exemptions, including those tied to SNAP or TANF

Eligibility and exemptions can vary depending on a person’s situation. Check the state’s Stay Covered guidance for the latest details.

Will I have to renew Medicaid more often?

Starting next year, many adults ages 19 to 64 on Medicaid will have to renew every six months instead of once a year. When that begins depends on when you apply or renew:

If you apply before Jan. 1, 2027, or renew before March 1, 2027: You will get 12 months of coverage, then renew every six months after that.

If you apply on or after Jan. 1, 2027, or renew on or after March 1, 2027: You will renew every six months from the start.

If you are American Indian or Alaska Native, or have a disability: You can keep renewing once a year.

What if I have Medicare?

Medicare and Medicaid are separate programs. New Yorkers entitled to or enrolled in Medicare Part A, or enrolled in Medicare Part B, are exempt from the new Medicaid work requirement.

If you receive both Medicare and Medicaid, you should still respond to Medicaid renewal notices and check whether other eligibility or renewal changes affect your coverage.

Where can I get help?

SNAP

• SNAP hotline: Call 718-SNAP-NOW (718-762-7669).
• Online: Visit nyc.gov/workrules for guidance on work requirements, eligibility and food resources.

Medicaid and health coverage

• Medicaid hotline: Call 866-INSURED (866-467-8733).
• More Medicaid information: Visit nyc.gov/medicaidhelp
• Medicaid enrollment help: Call the NYC Health Department at 347-665-0214 for help with renewals or notices about the new requirements.
• NYC Care: Call 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273) to learn about the city’s health care program for New Yorkers who can’t afford or don’t qualify for insurance.
• NYC Health + Hospitals: Call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692) for help with health insurance and financial assistance.
• Online: Visit nyc.gov/workrules for guidance on work requirements, eligibility and more.

Immigration

• Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs: Call 1-800-354-0365 for immigration-related legal help.

The city has also created Health and Affordability Resource Teams, or HART, to help residents navigate benefits and connect with assistance.

For the most current eligibility information, check the state’s SNAP work requirements page and Medicaid guidance, along with the city resources listed above.