A new Medicaid rule starts in 2027. If you or someone in your house is on Medicaid, it's worth knowing about now, while there's still plenty of time to get ready.

Here's the short version. Your state may start asking you to show that you work at least 80 hours a month. That's about 20 hours a week. States will also check on your coverage more often than they do today.

The rule is aimed at adults between 19 and 64 who got their Medicaid when their state opened the program up to more people. Start dates and exceptions are still being sorted out, and they will look a little different in every state. Your state Medicaid office is the best place to get the version that applies to you.

Why this matters even if you work plenty of hours

Most people on Medicaid are already working, usually a lot more than 20 hours a week. The hard part isn't the hours. It's showing the hours on paper.

Plenty of jobs don't add up neatly. Your hours go up one month and down the next. You might work two places. You might get cash for side work, drive for an app, or miss a few weeks when you're sick or hurt. All of that is real work, and all of it is harder to prove on a form.

So the helpful thing to do right now is get your records together. Then when your state asks, you already have the answer.

Four easy things to do this month

1. Keep your pay records in one place. A shoebox works. So does a folder of photos on your phone. Save your pay stubs, the schedules your boss posts, and screenshots of your hours from any app you work through. If someone pays you cash, write down the date, their name, and how many hours you worked.

2. Check the address and phone number your state has on file. These notices come in the mail. If yours goes to an old address, you might not find out anything is wrong until you're at the pharmacy counter. You can log into your Medicaid account or call the office to update it.

3. Open the letters when they come. There is almost always a deadline printed inside, and that deadline matters more than anything else in the envelope.

4. Answer right away. If you get a notice, you have a window to respond or to appeal. Answering late causes more trouble than answering imperfectly.

If your coverage does stop

Losing coverage doesn't mean you're stuck paying a hospital bill in full.

Most hospitals have a financial assistance program, and nonprofit hospitals are required to have one in writing. Depending on what you earn, it can bring your bill down quite a bit or cover the whole thing. Hospitals just don't tend to bring it up, so you'll need to ask.

When you call, ask for three things:

• The financial assistance application

• A hold on your account while they review it

• An itemized bill, so you can see every charge

Then wait to pay anything until you know what you actually owe.

Getting your records in order takes a few minutes a week. It's a small habit now that can save you a big headache later.