Health Care

Stricter Medicaid work requirement test catches states off guard

The process for determining exemptions for individuals who are ‘medically frail’ or have special medical needs was unexpected.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

States are scrambling to overhaul their Medicaid work requirement plans in response to a new federal rule that would require stricter limitations than many policymakers and advocacy groups had anticipated. 

“It will be a significant burden to implement,” said Kody Kinsley, the former secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Stay informed
Subscribe to keep reading.

Sign up today to get the latest state new at your fingertips and in your inbox.