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to thrive as they age

Thursday, February 26th

Avisery Alert: New Blog Post on H.R.1 Work Requirements and the Medical Frailty Exemption

Avisery is pleased to announce a new post on our advocacy blog,The Intersection.  Implementing H.R.1 Work Requirements: The Medical Frailty Exemption summarizes current discussions around how to develop and operationalize the medical exemption for ACA Medicaid work requirements outlined in H.R.1. A reference list is also provided for interested parties.

Click here to read the post!

Key Takeaways

• In January of 2027, adults ages 19–64 covered under the ACA Medicaid expansion in Illinois will need to start meeting a work requirement to keep their health coverage due to changes enacted by the H.R.1 ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’. People with disabling medical conditions will be exempt. 
• “Medical Frailty” is a legal concept used in H.R.1 to define the medical requirements someone must meet to get a work requirement exemption. States currently have substantial discretion to define Medical Frailty. State Medicaid agencies will likely play a significant role in deciding which medical conditions will qualify someone for a medical exemption and which will not.
• Illinois can make it easier for individuals with disabilities to retain Medicaid coverage and/or enroll in ACA Medicaid if they opt for a broader definition of Medical Frailty.
• Illinois can also consider developing systems that will help people with disabling medical conditions get approved for a medical exemption from work requirements. They can:
  1. Pull from existing data to automatically exempt current Medicaid recipients that already meet medical frailty requirements.
  2. Allow people to self-attest Medical Frailty on a Medicaid application and invest in human-centered communication tactics

Read the full post here!

If you have questions or need help counseling older adults and adults with disabilities on Medicare, Medicaid, or other health benefits programs, reach out to Avisery's "Ask the Expert" service for professionals at

avisery@ageoptions.org or 708-628-3440

About Avisery

Avisery by AgeOptions provides tools and support to professionals serving older adults and people with disabilities, enabling them to help their clients access healthcare coverage that allows them to thrive as they age. 

Contact us at avisery@ageoptions.org or visit our website for more information.

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