Monthly news digest from the Department of Human Services



Minnesota Department of Human Services logo [ [link removed] ]



NEWS FROM DHS



*August 2026*




*News from DHS archive [ [link removed] ]*





In this issue:

* Online tool now available through Sept. 30 to help Medical Assistance enrollees prepare for federal work requirements [ #link_4 ]
* Medicaid roundtable addresses critical issues Minnesota faces [ #link_1 ]
* Minnesota requests waiver to expand Medicaid coverage for Traditional Healing [ #link_2 ]
* In social media: Recovery is possible [ #link_5 ]
* Direct care professionals encouraged to sign up for new elist [ #link_7 ]
* In the news [ #link_6 ]

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Online tool now available through Sept. 30 to help Medical Assistance enrollees prepare for federal work requirements

People with Medical Assistance can find out now if they will need to meet 2027 federal work reporting requirements passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act with a new tool [ [link removed] ] from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. *The tool is available through Sept. 30, one month longer than the original cutoff date. *


Starting Jan. 1, 2027, some adults may need to meet new work requirements to get or keep Medical Assistance health insurance. This change generally applies to adults who do not have dependent children, are not pregnant, are not eligible for Medicare, and do not qualify for Medical Assistance based on a disability. Medical Assistance is Minnesota’s Medicaid program.

Work requirements will be verified when Minnesotans apply for Medical Assistance and when they renew their coverage. Renewals will now occur twice a year – or every six months – instead of once a year for these adults. 

Medical Assistance enrollees can prepare now for their 2027 renewal by reporting how they expect to meet an exemption from work requirements or how they will complete a qualifying activity. Many people may already meet the requirement or qualify for an exemption. 

“While most Medicaid recipients already work or meet the requirements in other ways, we are encouraging people to prepare now for the challenges of more paperwork. We want all eligible Minnesotans to keep their coverage,” said Temporary Commissioner John Connolly.

Visit *mn.gov/dhs/work-requirements [ [link removed] ]* to find:


* Qualifying activities that meet work requirements
* Qualifying exemptions from work requirements
* A short video [ [link removed] ] explaining how to use the Renewal Lookup tool [ [link removed] ] to prepare for work requirement or exemption reporting. 


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Medicaid roundtable addresses critical issues Minnesota faces
Group photo of roundtable participants and hosts

Temporary Commissioner John Connolly participated in a roundtable discussion on Medicaid with state leaders, health care providers and community members on Aug. 26 at Gillette Children’s St. Paul campus.

He spoke about complexities recently injected into the implementation of new federal work requirements taking effect Jan. 1, 2027 [ [link removed] ] that will put coverage of otherwise eligible Minnesotans at risk.

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released an interim final rule in June providing guidance to states on the new requirements. One key issue is the creation of a more restrictive definition of medical frailty, which requires that an individual’s condition "significantly impair" their ability to carry out work activities. However, the rule provides no guidance on what constitutes sufficient evidence.

Connolly said adding this complexity to the process creates new hurdles for applicants, enrollees and local servicing agencies trying to navigate the system.

"Medicaid policy can look very different when you're examining it from a federal policy document versus when you're trying to implement it for the millions of people nationwide who depend on it," Connolly said.

"Our goal in Minnesota is to ensure the integrity of the Medicaid program and protect access for people who are eligible. It will be important for us to work together as these new rules go into place, to ensure people continue receiving the health care they need."

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Minnesota requests waiver to expand Medicaid coverage for Traditional Healing

Traditional Healing is an important component of health and well-being for many American Indian people and communities.

For years, Tribal and Urban Indian partners have advocated for state and federal policies that recognize and support these culturally grounded practices.

On Aug. 14, Minnesota took an important step toward that goal by submitting a request to the federal government to expand Medicaid coverage for Traditional Healing for American Indian communities.

The request is titled “Mino Bimaadiziwin-Wičhózani,” generally translated means wellness and good health in the Ojibwe (Chippewa) and Dakota (Sioux) languages, respectively.

The 2025 Minnesota Legislature authorized the department to apply for a Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver through the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service to cover Traditional Healing as a Medical Assistance service.

While awaiting federal approval, we are preparing the systems, policies, processes and partnerships needed to support implementation.

We are committed to addressing health disparities and improving access to services that are culturally responsive and meaningful to American Indian communities.

Learn more about the waiver process, and what this waiver could mean for American Indian communities in Minnesota, in a message from our Behavioral Health Administration [ [link removed] ].

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In social media: Recovery is possible
Screenshot of Aug. 21 social media post

*Find this post on Instagram [ [link removed] ], Facebook [ [link removed] ] and X [ [link removed] ].*

">> Follow us on Instagram [ [link removed] ], "Facebook [ [link removed] ] "and "X (formerly Twitter) [ [link removed] ]" f"or timely updates on DHS news and events.""

">> For announcements of hiring events, job postings, internships and more, follow us on LinkedIn [ [link removed] ] and the "DHS Careers Facebook page [ [link removed] ].""

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Accessible formats

For accessible formats of this publication, write to [email protected], or call 651-431-2000 or use your preferred relay service.




Direct care professionals encouraged to sign up for new elist
Stock photo of direct care professional with client

There are thousands of direct support workers in Minnesota, making them one of the largest employment groups in the state. 

In August, we launched a new e-newsletter [ [link removed] ] to share news and resources of interest to those doing this important work.

Topics we will cover include:


* Free or low-cost training and other resources
* Announcements of events and webinars
* Guidance on regulations and policy changes
* Opportunities for direct caregivers to provide feedback

The newsletter is intended for all types of paid professionals or unpaid caregivers providing direct care or support for people receiving disability, aging or behavioral health services, such as assistance with bathing, helping someone eat, giving medications, providing transportation, doing household chores, teaching skills or providing job support.

Job titles commonly used for direct care professionals, include:


* Direct support professional or worker
* Direct care professional or worker
* Personal care assistant (PCA) or aide
* Rehabilitation worker
* Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) worker
* Behavioral or mental health aide
* Home health aide
* Certified nursing assistant or aide
* Employment supports worker
* Hospice worker
* Shelter worker

Subscribing is optional - but don’t miss out on news that could help you. *Sign up [ [link removed] ] today.*

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In the news
newspaper beside a coffee cup

*New minimum wages for Minnesota nursing home workers to take effect in September:* New minimum wages for Minnesota nursing home workers received final federal approval and will take effect on Sept. 10. Thousands of workers will receive raises with the new hourly wage floors across four job categories. Learn more in a Minnesota Reformer article [ [link removed] ].

*Almanac: Human services fraud prevention:* Temporary Commissioner John Connolly discussed Medicaid fraud prevention measures underway during a recent TPT Almanac program [ [link removed] ]. 

*Minnesota's new fraud watchdog committee holds first Capitol meeting: *After years of debate and drafting legislation, a new task force on fraud held its first meeting Aug. 26. Lawmakers say the Office of Inspector General is the most significant step towards fighting fraud in the state's history. Learn more in a WCCO story [ [link removed] ].

*It’s the $9 billion question: Where is the fraud documentation?* Following a singular soundbite in a news conference in December 2025, many headlines played up that Minnesota has a $9 billion fraud problem. It remains to be seen what the final number will be, but tracking by the 5 Eyewitness News investigative team has documented cases being prosecuted totaling less than $500 million so far. Learn more in a KSTP story [ [link removed] ].

*Opinion | Hard data and context are missing in Minnesota’s overblown fraud furor:* Stemming from the Feeding Our Future scam and smaller ones since then, fraud has overwhelmed conversations in our political and policy world. Almost every incremental development comes with a description of fraud as a “crisis” that is “sprawling” or “massive” or “historic,” implying that Minnesota is uniquely bad. But we never see spreadsheets and state rankings with supporting data and national perspective. Learn more in a MinnPost opinion piece [ [link removed] ].

*Bena's new Two Sisters Lodge offers shelter, healing for those experiencing homelessness:* On Aug. 26, Leech Lake Nation celebrated the opening of a new shelter in Bena, funded largely by a DHS grant. As plans were forming for the building, calling it a lodge and not a "homeless shelter" was an important decision. Learn more in a Bemidji Pioneer article [ [link removed] ].

*Rochester shelter expands to serve domestic violence survivors:* The Women’s Shelter and Support Center celebrated the opening of a new shelter facility in Rochester on Aug. 26 that increases capacity from 34 to 75 beds. The shelter was made possible in large part through DHS grant. Learn more in a KTTC story [ [link removed] ].

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