Medicaid Work Requirements Start Now
Nebraska went live on May 1st — here's what the first real-world data tells us about what's coming for the rest of the country
Medicaid work rules are now live. Here is what that means for you.
On May 1, 2026, Nebraska became the first state in the country to enforce Medicaid work requirements under a federally approved waiver. This is not a pilot. It is not a proposal. It is live policy affecting real Medicaid beneficiaries today — and it is the leading edge of a policy wave that will reshape Medicaid program administration across the country if the Senate reconciliation bill passes as written.
📊 Nebraska's implementation requires able-bodied adults between 19 and 64 who are not pregnant, disabled, or caring for a dependent child under 6 to complete 80 hours per month of qualifying work, education, job training, or community service activities and report their compliance monthly through an online portal. Failure to report or failure to meet the threshold results in coverage loss, with a 90-day lockout period before re-enrollment is permitted.
The early implementation data is telling. The state's own enrollment…
