A Stronger Working People with Disabilities Program Goes into Effect Today
- Chatequa Pinkston
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
As the result of the continuous work of self-advocates, it is now easier for people with disabilities to earn and save more through the Working People with Disabilities Program. The Florida Legislature passed a bill strengthening the program this year and Governor DeSantis signed it into law effective today, July 1, 2026.
The Working People with Disabilities Program (WPD) was first approved by the Florida legislature in 2019 and began enrolling clients in 2020, offering them the ability to move out of poverty by removing one of the most significant barriers to competitive employment that people with disabilities experience – low Medicaid income limits.
The program significantly increases employment income and asset limits for those on Florida’s Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers. According to Disability Right Florida, in 2026 individuals on Working People's can earn up to $5,467 and couples can earn $10,934 monthly. Annual asset limits increase to $13,000 for individuals and $24,000 for couples.
Unfortunately, the 2019 rule change did not include language requiring state Medicaid administrators to inform their employees or clients about the new income limits. As a result, many people trying to take advantage of WPD were met with confused responses from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) when they tried to sign up. The new law requires DCF to be proactive in informing people on the Medicaid waiver about the program.
The recently passed CS/HB 915: Medical Assistance Eligibility for Working Individuals with Disabilities act requires the following
DCF must provide written notices to all new Medicaid waiver enrollees and then again annually about WPD.
DCF has 90 days to provide written notice to current HCBS recipients of their eligibility to enroll in the program.
DCF should provide the name of a person or office to contact.
If you’re on the waiver and able to earn above the current regular Medicaid income limits, call DCF and tell them you want to take advantage of the program. If they are still unaware of the program (it may take them a bit of time to get up to speed), ask for an email address and send them a copy of the law, referring to it by name. Be ready to download and email the law if you need to and keep a copy close if you need it for yearly renewals.
As self-advocates, our ability to work and earn to our potential is stronger today because of the new law! Conventional wisdom behind income limits for all Medicaid recipients – not just people with disabilities-- is that once they are trained, and able to acquire stable, full-time employment, they will start purchasing reduced-cost health insurance from their employers. But because most private health insurance plans do not include personal care assistance benefits, people who need those services in order to work and live independently were stuck. Although there are trust programs that enable waiver recipients to surpass earning limits, they can be difficult to set up, and most people do not know about them. WPD is automatic.
Working Peoples is a game changer when it comes to systems change in competitive employment for people with disabilities in Florida. It will allow people to advance professionally while enjoying the financial freedom that comes with higher pay and job satisfaction. Working People's will allow one to ask for that long-deserved raise or to work more hours, post for a promotion or apply for a higher paying job, and/or begin to save more, not just for disability-related expenses, but vacations and other items.
The strengthening of WPD is a victory in the advancement of people with disabilities in Florida to work without the fear of losing essential services. It is the hard and consistent work of self-advocates that helped make this happen for everyone. Now it is time to take advantage of the opportunity to earn and save more income.
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