Advocates for Community Health committed to ensuring patient access to care 

Washington, D.C. (June 1, 2026) – Advocates for Community Health (ACH) CEO Amanda Pears Kelly issued the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ interim final rule issued June 1, 2026, implementing Medicaid work requirements:

“Community health centers serve more than 34 million patients nationwide, and Medicaid is the primary source of coverage for more than half of those individuals. ACH is concerned that the interim final rule creates new administrative barriers that could cause Medicaid patients to lose coverage, not because they are ineligible, but because they are unable to navigate complex reporting and documentation requirements, and will add new paperwork and tracking burdens for state Medicaid agencies and local providers.

“The rule’s guidance for states to pursue narrow interpretation of medical frailty and limitations on self-attestation after 2028, are particularly troubling. Patients managing serious chronic conditions, mental and behavioral health challenges, substance use disorders, cancer, and other complex health needs should not be forced to prove their inability to work in order to maintain access to the care and treatment they rely on. 

” We urge federal policymakers to reconsider requirements that risk increasing coverage losses, delaying care, worsening health outcomes, and further straining state regulators and providers that serve America’s most vulnerable communities.

“Nonetheless, ACH and its members are committed to ensuring that no one falls through the cracks, and that community health centers continue to play a central role in access to care.”

Today’s rule follows the Administration’s proposed changes to Medicaid State Directed Payments, which could significantly reduce resources available to states and providers that serve Medicaid beneficiaries. Taken together, these proposals threaten to weaken the health care safety net, increase uncompensated care costs, and undermine the long-term sustainability of community health centers that millions of Americans depend on for care.