Rebecca Dow, a House Representative from New Mexico, announced that starting in 2027, federal regulations will require certain adults to work, volunteer, or pursue education to maintain Medicaid coverage. She noted that New Mexicans could retain their coverage by staying engaged. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
"Keep Your Medicaid," said Dow. "Starting in 2027, new federal rules will require able-bodied adults without dependents to work, volunteer, or pursue education to keep Medicaid coverage. New Mexicans won't lose coverage if they stay engaged through work, community service, or learning opportunities."
In October 2025, Congress passed a federal law instructing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to finalize rules regarding Medicaid work and community engagement by June 1, 2026. According to KFF, states will be required to condition coverage for expansion adults on meeting an 80-hour monthly requirement beginning January 1, 2027. Core exemptions such as pregnancy, disability, and caregiving are expected; however, states are awaiting CMS guidance on verification processes and penalties. STAT reported that officials face tight timelines to implement the mandate by 2027.
New Mexico's Medicaid enrollment was recorded at 809,976 in June 2025. Of these enrollees, approximately 278,000 were classified under the "expansion/other adult" group—often used as a proxy for able-bodied adults without dependents. Many of these individuals may qualify for exemptions under the new rules. This information provides a baseline for how many could be screened under the forthcoming regulations.
Evidence from other states indicates significant coverage losses when work requirements were previously tested. The New England Journal of Medicine reported that Arkansas' policy in 2018 resulted in about 18,000 adults losing Medicaid without measurable employment gains. Similarly, according to the Associated Press (AP), Georgia's "Pathways" work requirement in 2023 enrolled around 7,500 individuals—far below projections—due to administrative challenges.
Dow is a Republican member of the New Mexico House of Representatives for District 38. Her service spans from 2016–2022 and resumed from 2025 to present. She previously ran for governor in 2022 and has focused her efforts on education, family services, and healthcare funding oversight.
