States are preparing to implement federal Medicaid work requirements next year, and some have already begun. As they design systems and workflows, many are working to help individuals understand and meet these new requirements while reducing administrative burden for both applicants and frontline caseworkers managing the new processes. States have an opportunity to reduce barriers for applicants by leaning into human-centered design, maximizing automatic exemptions, and investing in technology that better supports member needs.

This tipsheet offers practical strategies, informed by state staff and civic technologists, to help states prepare, with a focus on useability, iteration, and application design. These strategies draw from a state-only Medicaid Work Requirements: Tech Implementation and Integration Learning Series in March 2026. The series was made possible by the Peterson Center on Healthcare, and developed in collaboration with the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program.