Caregiving and who may not need 80 hours
Some adults ages 19 to 64 do not have to meet the 80-hour rule. CMS lists groups that do not have to do this, including many caregivers. This is not legal advice. Only your state Medicaid agency can tell you if the rule applies to you.
This page is not legal advice. Check with your state Medicaid agency. Your state decides who needs to meet the 80-hour rule and what proof it takes.
iPhone coming soonCaregiving
If you are a parent, guardian, caretaker relative, or family caregiver of a child 13 or younger, or of a person with a disability, CMS says you may not need to meet the 80-hour rule. Tell your state Medicaid agency. If you do need to meet the rule, unpaid time you spend caring for a family member can count as unpaid work.
Other people who may not need to meet the rule
CMS also lists groups such as:
- People who are pregnant or in the postpartum period
- People who are disabled or medically frail
- American Indians and Alaska Natives
- Former foster care youth
- Some veterans with a total disability rating
- People in a drug or alcohol treatment program
- People who already meet SNAP or TANF work rules (in the way CMS describes)
What you can do now
Ask your state. Use the 80 hours tracker if you still need to show hours. See your state page for official links.
Sources
We fetched and checked these official pages on 2026-10-19.
More guides
Log80 keeps your proof in one place.
Track your hours and make a monthly report to share with your state Medicaid office. It's free, in your browser or on Android.
Log80 is not a government service and is not Medicaid. This page is not legal advice. Your state Medicaid office decides who needs to meet the rule and what proof it takes.