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ACAP, CHCS Launch Learning and Action Series to Help Safety Net Health Plans Navigate New Medicaid Work Requirements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 28, 2026
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Marty Johnson, ACAP, 202-420-7424
ACAP, CHCS Launch Learning and Action Series to Help Safety Net Health Plans Navigate New Medicaid Work Requirements
WASHINGTON — The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), in partnership with the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), today announced the launch of the Work Requirements Learning and Action Series, a new initiative to help Safety Net Health Plans support Medicaid members as they navigate new community engagement requirements.
Provisions in the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Act of 2025 direct state Medicaid agencies to implement community engagement requirements — also known as work requirements — for certain Medicaid expansion enrollees. This represents a major policy shift and new set of administrative challenges for members, managed care organizations, state agencies, and health care providers.
The Learning and Action Series will help ACAP plans support Medicaid agencies and their members by ensuring that community engagement verification, exemption procedures, and member outreach are efficient, understood by members, and grounded in existing infrastructure. Through peer-to-peer engagement and access to subject matter experts, the series will surface promising practices for implementing work requirements at scale — helping plans adopt policies and processes that protect coverage for members who remain eligible.
“Our experience with work requirements shows that they introduce a number of trapdoors into the social safety net that may create needless barriers to coverage and loss of care for enrollees,” said ACAP CEO Margaret A. Murray. “Our plans’ job is to make sure that people who are eligible keep the coverage they need and deserve. We’re proud to work with the experts at CHCS to develop best practices and confront the challenges posed by these requirements.”
“Keeping eligible Medicaid members connected to coverage will be critical as work requirements are implemented,” said Allison Hamblin, MSPH, President and CEO, CHCS. “For Safety Net Health Plans and others to successfully implement these requirements, they will need to have strategies tailored to their assets, context, and the needs of their members and communities. We’re pleased to build on our previous experience with ACAP and our previous work on this subject to find solutions that can scale.”
The series will conclude with a national webinar in July 2027 to share and amplify the group’s findings and recommendations for the future.
About ACAP
ACAP represents 92 health plans, which collectively provide health coverage to more than 30 million people. Safety Net Health Plans serve their members through Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Marketplace and other publicly-sponsored health programs. For more information, visit www.communityplans.net.
About CHCS
The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) is a policy design and implementation partner devoted to improving outcomes for people enrolled in Medicaid. CHCS supports organizations across sectors and disciplines to make care more effective, efficient, and equitable for millions across the nation. Learn more at www.chcs.org.
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