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Medicaid 80-Hour Rule in Las Vegas: Free Ways to Meet It

Last verified: September 29, 2026

To meet Nevada Medicaid's 80-hour rule in Las Vegas, you can work, volunteer through a nonprofit or public program that tracks hours, join a work program such as WIOA job training, or attend school at least half-time. Under the federal rule, you can combine activities to reach 80 hours in a month, or earn at least $580 that month.

The requirement starts January 1, 2027, for many adults ages 19 to 64 in Nevada's Medicaid expansion group. If an exemption applies to you, you may not need to count hours at all. For the big picture, see our Nevada Medicaid work requirements guide.

Your 4-step plan

  1. Check if you're exempt first.
  2. Find your renewal date in the NVMedicaid app, under "My Benefits."
  3. Choose activities that count (see below).
  4. Keep a signed log of every hour.

What counts toward the Medicaid work requirement

Nevada Medicaid's September 29, 2026 announcement says you need "80 hours of work, school, or volunteering during one month before applying for or renewing Medicaid coverage." Under the federal rule, any one of these meets the requirement for a month:

OptionWhat counts under the federal rule
WorkAt least 80 hours. Paid work, in-kind work and unpaid work, such as an internship, all count.
Community serviceAt least 80 hours of unpaid service in a structured program run by a public or nonprofit organization. The organization must track the type of activity, dates and hours.
Work programAt least 80 hours in a WIOA, Trade Act, or state employment and training program (including SNAP E&T), or a Department of Labor or VA veterans' program. Job search or job-search training alone does not count.
SchoolEnrolled at least half-time in college, career or technical education, high school, or a state-approved high school equivalency program. Half-time counts on its own.
IncomeAt least $580 a month (the $7.25 federal minimum wage × 80 hours). Income is counted using MAGI rules.
Seasonal incomeSeasonal workers: average monthly income of at least $580 over the past 6 months.

In school less than half-time? Under the federal rule, your classes convert to monthly hours: credit hours × 3 × 4.33. One 3-credit class works out to about 39 hours a month (3 × 3 × 4.33 = 38.97). Add them to other activities to reach 80.

Which month counts?

The federal rule lets each state choose which months to check. Nevada Medicaid told lawmakers in April 2026 that it planned to look at the month before you apply. At renewal, it planned to accept "any one of the six months before you renew coverage."

We could not verify a final state plan, so confirm with Nevada Medicaid.

Mix and match to reach 80

Under the federal rule, you can combine work, community service, work-program hours and less-than-half-time school to reach at least 80 hours in a month. For example, 40 hours of work plus 40 hours of volunteering adds up to 80.

Here's how a mixed month could look:

ActivityHours
Part-time job30
One 3-credit class (converted)about 39
Volunteering through a nonprofit that tracks hours15
Totalabout 84

Aim for a few hours over 80, in case a shift gets missed or a record comes up short.

Where to get your hours in Clark County

Costs vary. The library's EmployNV career help and United Way's Volunteer Connect are free, and CSN's ACES classes are no or low cost for students who qualify. Before you sign up, ask about cost and whether the program is a WIOA or other work program. Nevada Medicaid decides whether an activity counts.

Job training and job help

Looking for free job training in Las Vegas? Start with the library's free EmployNV career help, then ask these centers about training.

Comprehensive EmployNV Career Hub

A WIOA one-stop career center.

6330 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 190, Las Vegas, NV 89146 · (702) 822-4200 · employnvcareerhub.org · state training info

Workforce Connections

Southern Nevada's workforce development board. It runs the one-stop system, including WIOA.

70 E. Bonneville Ave., Suite 400, Las Vegas, NV 89101 · 702-638-8750 · nvworkforceconnections.org

Las Vegas-Clark County Library District (EmployNV)

Free EmployNV career help with Workforce Connections, plus online career tools. Details: thelibrarydistrict.org/employnv

  • Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Rd. · (702) 507-3400
  • East Las Vegas Library, 2851 E. Bonanza Rd. · (702) 507-3500
  • West Las Vegas Library, 1861 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. · (702) 507-3980
  • Youth Hub (ages 16–24) at West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd. · (702) 602-5199

College of Southern Nevada (CSN): Workforce and EmployNV hub

  • Workforce & Economic Development: short-term, non-credit training. Sahara West Center, 2409 Las Verdes St. · (702) 651-4747 · CSN Workforce Development
  • EmployNV hub at the CSN Charleston campus: 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., 89146 · (702) 651-5407 · csn.edu/employ-nv

School and GED

CSN ACES

High school equivalency (GED) prep, ESL and I-BEST. No or low cost for qualifying students. Spanish spoken.

702-651-4487 · CSN ACES

Ask ACES and Nevada Medicaid which classes count as school.

Volunteering

Volunteering in Las Vegas to meet the Medicaid work requirement? Before your first shift, ask how the group tracks your dates and hours.

United Way of Southern Nevada: Volunteer Connect

A free platform that links volunteers with local nonprofits and lets you track your impact.

5830 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas 89103 · 702-892-2300 · uwsn.org/volunteer

Three Square Food Bank

Pack meals, groceries and produce, or help at off-site distributions. Apply online before you schedule a shift.

702-644-3663 x349 · threesquare.org/volunteer

Clark County Parks & Recreation Volunteer Program

Help at parks, recreation centers, events and Wetlands Park.

(702) 455-8200 · Clark County volunteer program

Our office is here, too. Southern Nevada Health Pass is inside the 5450 West Sahara Community Resource Center, 5450 W Sahara Ave Ste. 320, Las Vegas, NV 89146. The center offers employment and job-training help. For more, see our local community resources.

Keep an hours log

Write your hours down as you go, not at the end of the month. For every shift or class, record:

  • Date
  • Organization
  • Activity (what you did)
  • Hours
  • Supervisor's name and phone number
  • Supervisor's signature

Ask the organization to sign your log or email you a record. Three Square, for example, says its staff will sign volunteer-hour documentation you send by email. For a job, keep your pay stubs. For school, keep proof you're enrolled.

Why it matters: Nevada Medicaid told lawmakers it planned to check state data first, like wage and school records. It also planned a form where you attest (formally state) that you meet the rule, and said those forms "will be audited." Under the federal rule, starting January 1, 2028, the state must require documentation whenever it's reasonably available.

States check at application and renewal and may check more often. Keep your log going every month.

Nevada has not published a reporting portal that we could verify. Follow the instructions in your letter and on Nevada Medicaid's official page.

Not sure it counts? Nevada Medicaid decides

Under the federal rule, WIOA and other work programs count, and so does unpaid community service in a public or nonprofit organization's tracked program. But only Nevada Medicaid can say whether your job, class or volunteer shift counts for you. Check the official page: Nevada Medicaid: Work, School, and Volunteer Requirements.

If Nevada Medicaid can't confirm you met the rule, the federal rule says it must send a notice and give you 30 calendar days to show you did, or that an exemption applies. Coverage continues during those 30 days. Learn what happens if you don't meet the requirement.

Not sure where to start? Call or text us at 725-214-1433, or contact Southern Nevada Health Pass. We'll help you sort out your options for free, in English or Spanish.

Get free email alerts when Nevada Medicaid shares new details on the 80-hour rule, like how to report your hours.

Get a free alert when Nevada updates the work rules

Nevada is still publishing details — like how to report your hours. We'll email you when something changes. Free. No spam.

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We never ask for your Social Security number or Medicaid ID.

Frequently asked questions

Does volunteering count for Medicaid in Nevada?

It can. Under the federal rule, volunteering counts as community service when it's unpaid and part of a structured program run by a public or nonprofit organization that tracks the type of activity, dates and hours. Eighty hours in a month can meet the rule by itself, or you can combine volunteering with other activities. Nevada Medicaid decides what counts.

Can I combine work and volunteering?

Yes. Under the federal rule, you can add up work, community service, work-program hours and less-than-half-time school to reach at least 80 hours in a month. For example, 40 hours of work plus 40 hours of volunteering adds up to 80. Keep records of both, and confirm with Nevada Medicaid that your activities count.

Does looking for a job count?

Not by itself. Under the federal rule, job search or job-search training alone does not count. Hours in a work program, such as a WIOA program or SNAP E&T, can count, and so can hours at a job. Ask the program what kind of program it is, and confirm with Nevada Medicaid.

Does a GED class count?

It can. Under the federal rule, school includes state-approved high school equivalency programs, and enrollment of at least half-time counts on its own. Less than half-time converts to hours you can combine with other activities. In Las Vegas, CSN's ACES program offers GED prep. Ask whether a class is state-approved, and confirm with Nevada Medicaid.

How do I prove my volunteer hours?

Keep a log with the date, organization, activity, hours, and your supervisor's name, phone and signature. Ask the organization to sign it or email you a record. Three Square's staff, for example, will sign volunteer-hour documentation sent by email. Nevada hasn't published a reporting portal we could verify, so follow your letter and Nevada Medicaid's official instructions.

Want a hand planning your 80 hours? We'll help you sort through your options and find local programs. We never ask for your Social Security number.

Call or text 725-214-1433 — free, English or Spanish. TTY 711.

Sources

Southern Nevada Health Pass is a free, independent benefits navigation service. We are not an insurance agency or broker, we do not sell insurance, and we are not paid by any health plan. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Nevada Medicaid, the Nevada Health Authority, CMS, or any government agency. This page is general information, not legal advice. Nevada Medicaid makes all eligibility decisions.

Southern Nevada Health Pass is a free benefits navigation service. We are not an insurance agency or broker, we do not sell insurance, and we are not paid by any health plan. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Nevada Medicaid, the Nevada Health Authority, CMS, or any government agency, and we do not decide your eligibility. For questions about your coverage, contact your health plan directly. For Medicare questions, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048). To change your Nevada Medicaid plan, call (866) 569-1746 (TTY 7-1-1).

We are not part of, affiliated with, or endorsed by the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD).

Call/Text 725-214-1433 · TTY 711.