Which governors asked HHS to delay Medicaid work requirements in October 2026?

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek led an Oct. 1, 2026, letter with the governors of California, Maine, New Mexico, and Virginia asking HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to delay the Jan. 1, 2027, compliance date and set a timeline tied to state readiness.

Why do the five governors say the Jan. 1, 2027, work-rule deadline is unworkable?

They say the June 1, 2026, interim final rule made major changes from earlier guidance—including medical-frailty definitions and verification rules—forcing states to rebuild eligibility systems, notices, forms, and staff procedures with less than 100 days left before Jan. 1, 2027.

Are the governors asking HHS to repeal Medicaid work requirements?

No. Coverage of the letter says they still oppose the policy but ask for a readiness-based delay so eligible people are less likely to lose coverage because systems are not ready, not an indefinite postponement or a repeal of the statute.

5 governors ask HHS to delay Jan. 1 Medicaid work rules

Five governors asked HHS on Oct. 1, 2026, to delay Jan. 1, 2027, Medicaid work-reporting rules. Oregon, California, Maine, New Mexico and Virginia cited June IFR changes they say states cannot rebuild in under 100 days.

policy · medicaid · work-requirements · oregon · california · maine

M.O. Stevens, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Direct Support News desk · October 1, 2026 · Updated October 3, 2026 · 1 min read

Five Democratic governors asked federal health officials on Oct. 1, 2026, to push back the Jan. 1, 2027, deadline for Medicaid work-reporting rules. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek led the letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., joined by the governors of California, Maine, New Mexico, and Virginia, the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported that day.

The governors say a June 1 interim final rule changed medical-frailty and verification rules after states had already built systems on earlier guidance. With less than 100 days left, they wrote that states cannot reasonably rebuild, test, and validate eligibility systems while keeping notices accurate and workers trained.

What they want

They are not asking for an open-ended pause, the Capital Chronicle and Healthcare Dive reported. They want HHS to set a “realistic” timeline tied to demonstrated state readiness. Kotek’s office said an earlier May 29 request drew no response.

OregonLive reported more than 1.4 million people use the Oregon Health Plan and that up to about 600,000 could face the new work, volunteering, or education hours under the 2025 federal law. Oregon plans to apply the rules to new applicants in January and to most current members at renewal, with six-month checks starting in September 2027.

Why this matters for providers and DSPs

Work-reporting rules mainly hit ACA expansion adults, but mistakes on medical frailty and exemptions can spill into disability households that share coverage or caregivers. Provider agency eligibility staff and HCBS case managers in the five states should watch whether HHS grants more time before January notices go out—and keep documentation ready for enrollees who should be exempt because of disability or caregiving.

Common questions

Which governors asked HHS to delay Medicaid work requirements in October 2026?: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek led an Oct. 1, 2026, letter with the governors of California, Maine, New Mexico, and Virginia asking HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to delay the Jan. 1, 2027, compliance date and set a timeline tied to state readiness.
Why do the five governors say the Jan. 1, 2027, work-rule deadline is unworkable?: They say the June 1, 2026, interim final rule made major changes from earlier guidance—including medical-frailty definitions and verification rules—forcing states to rebuild eligibility systems, notices, forms, and staff procedures with less than 100 days left before Jan. 1, 2027.
Are the governors asking HHS to repeal Medicaid work requirements?: No. Coverage of the letter says they still oppose the policy but ask for a readiness-based delay so eligible people are less likely to lose coverage because systems are not ready, not an indefinite postponement or a repeal of the statute.