By May 1, 2026, all able-bodied, qualifying Nebraskan adults in the Medicaid expansion program will be required to work or participate in an authorized activity in order to receive Medicaid benefits.
Gov. Jim Pillen (R-NE) announced Wednesday that Nebraska would be the first state to carry out the Medicaid work requirements passed as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The move will require able-bodied adults aged 19 to 64 who are part of the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion group to work or participate in authorized community service, educational, or work programs.
“These requirements will help Nebraskans achieve greater self-sufficiency through employment and other meaningful activities,” Pillen said in a statement. “Working not only provides purpose but helps people become active, productive members of their communities.”
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act mandates states abide by Jan. 1, 2027, but Nebraska will begin eight months ahead of the deadline. The governor estimated that the requirements would affect about 30,000 Nebraskans.
Beneficiaries will be required to work or participate in the approved programs for at least 80 hours each month, unless they qualify for an exception. Exempted individuals include pregnant women, those who are disabled, parents or guardians with children ages 13 and younger, and those designated as “medically frail.”
“Employment provides financial stability, fosters personal growth, and will help Nebraska’s small businesses in need of workers,” Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services CEO Steve Corsi said in a statement. “These new requirements move Nebraska forward by encouraging greater economic and social participation.”
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The work requirements included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act comprise much of the bill’s Medicaid spending reductions. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, pitched the work requirements as a move that will “prevent generational poverty in Nebraska” during a press conference on Wednesday.
“What you’re doing so boldly, with this action, being the first state in the country to use this legislation as an opportunity to create community engagement, is going to prevent generational poverty in Nebraska. It’s going to allow people to find pathways, because we’re going to make it easier for them to do the right thing when it comes to trying to find work,” Oz said.
