FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
Aug. 1, 2026  
Contact: Jack Cardinal, jcardinal@communitycatalyst.org   

More than 86,000 comments submitted, but no review planned

BOSTON, MA — Community Catalyst, the nation’s leading health justice advocacy organization, is calling on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to delay implementation of bureaucratic work reporting requirements for people with Medicaid health insurance following the submission of over 86,000 comments on the final set of regulations. The regulations issued by CMS are more restrictive than what Congress passed in the “One, Big Beautiful Bill” and will inflict harsh consequences on vulnerable populations and strained state budgets. 

“This ‘final’ set of regulations, which goes far beyond what Congress intended, will significantly harm people who are eligible for Medicaid, and especially people with disabilities and people with chronic conditions like cancer and diabetes,” said Shaina Goodman, Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs at Community Catalyst. “CMS should take the sheer volume of comments as a warning signal that states and individuals are unprepared for this rule. While Congress should repeal the work requirements in their entirety, in the interim CMS should, at a minimum, delay implementation.” 

Community Catalyst and a broad set of national, state and community-based organizations argue that the ‘final’ rule set by CMS imposes complex bureaucratic red tape requirements on a needlessly rushed timeline that undermines state health systems and risks access to coverage for millions of individuals who have health insurance through Medicaid. Research repeatedly shows that work reporting requirements result in significant coverage losses – jeopardizing accessing to care and health outcomes for millions of Americans – and does nothing to increase employment or improve economic stability for individuals, communities or the country. 

# # # 

 
About Community Catalyst  
Community Catalyst is a leading nonprofit national health advocacy organization dedicated to advancing a movement for racial equity and health justice. We partner with local, state and national advocates to leverage and build power towards a health system that is affordable, accessible and accountable to all people. Health systems will not be accountable to people without a fully engaged and organized community voice. That’s why we work every day to ensure people’s interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and healthcare are made: in communities, state houses and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.