What H.R. 1 means for health coverage in Pennsylvania
H.R. 1 changes who can get Medicaid and what people must do to keep it. More than 310,000 Pennsylvanians could lose their coverage.
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July 4, 2025
H.R. 1 signed into law
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Oct. 1, 2026
New limits on Medicaid for many immigrants
In effect
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Jan. 1, 2027
Medicaid work requirements begin
Coming up
Need help with your own Medicaid?
Our Helpline gives free legal help to Pennsylvanians having trouble getting or keeping Medicaid.
Fact sheets and updates
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H.R. 1 Update: Thousands of Immigrants Lose Federally Funded Medicaid in PA
Oct. 2, 2026 Immigrants
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Looking Ahead to H.R. 1: Medicaid Work Requirements Coming January 1
Oct. 1, 2026 Work requirements
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Looking Ahead to H.R. 1: Six-Month Medicaid Renewals Coming Next Year
Oct. 1, 2026 Eligibility and renewals
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Looking Ahead to H.R. 1: Retroactive Medicaid Coverage is Shrinking
Oct. 1, 2026 Eligibility and renewals
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Immigrant Health Coverage in PA: One Month Until Changes Take Effect
Aug. 31, 2026 Immigrants
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Pennie Open Enrollment: What’s Changing for 2027 Coverage
Aug. 28, 2026 Pennie
We’re adding H.R. 1 fact sheets and guides as changes take effect. Check back soon.
Looking for something else? Browse PHLP’s full resource library.
Upcoming trainings
Free Zoom trainings for anyone who helps Pennsylvanians apply for or keep their benefits, from the Benefits Access Coalition: Community Legal Services, Just Harvest, the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, and PHLP.
What You Need to Know About Federal Changes to Pennie
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · 2:00 p.m. ET
Registration link coming soon
About this training
How H.R. 1 changes coverage through Pennie, Pennsylvania’s health insurance marketplace, and what assisters should know heading into open enrollment.
Medicare in 2027
Thursday, November 5, 2026 · 10:00 a.m. ET
About this training
What is changing in Medicare for 2027 and what it means for the people you help.
Training recordings
Watch past trainings and download the slides and Q&A.
The new work requirements apply only to adults covered through Medicaid’s expansion group. This session covers the other ways Pennsylvanians can qualify, including categories based on age, disability, and pregnancy, and how to help someone find the one that fits. It builds on the September 16 session on navigating the requirements.
Materials
- PDF Presentation slides (opens in a new tab)
- More materials coming soon
September 16, 2026 Stay Covered: How to Navigate Medicaid Work Requirements
How the new requirements will work in Pennsylvania, who is exempt, and how to help people meet them and keep their coverage.
Practical guidance for helping Pennsylvanians file public benefits applications: gathering documents, avoiding common errors that lead to denials, and following up when an application stalls.
This recording is hosted on Zoom and opens in a new tab.
Materials
- PDF Presentation slides (opens in a new tab)
- CSV Questions and answers Downloads as a spreadsheet file
An overview of the federal changes to SNAP and what coalition members have learned so far, including how new rules and paperwork play out for households already enrolled.
Materials
Community Legal Services attorneys Maripat Pileggi and Lauren Davis explain which immigrants may lose Medicaid/MA under H.R. 1 starting October 1, 2026, and how to respond to the notices DHS is sending about the change.
Materials
An overview of H.R. 1’s Medicaid work requirements: which Pennsylvanians they apply to, which exemptions exist, and what to expect as the state builds its verification process.
This recording is hosted on Zoom and opens in a new tab.
Materials
- PDF Presentation slides (opens in a new tab)
- CSV Questions and answers Downloads as a spreadsheet file
The Benefits Access Coalition’s training materials are also available on the Pennsylvania Health Access Network’s resource page (opens in a new tab).