Gov. Tina Kotek leads coalition of five governors in plea to delay Medicaid changes

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) --- Gov. Tina Kotek led a coalition of five governors Thursday in requesting additional time from federal officials to implement upcoming Medicaid regulations set to take effect Jan. One.

The joint request to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeks to delay the implementation schedule for policy changes enacted under President Donald Trump's H.R. one to prevent disruptions in health coverage.

The letter was signed by governors from Oregon, Calif., Maine, N.Y. and Virginia. With fewer than 100 days remaining before the new federal rules take effect, notices warning residents about potential shifts in coverage have already begun arriving in mailboxes.

About one-third of Oregon families depend on Medicaid, which operates locally as the Oregon Health Plan. State leaders contend that a timeline extension is needed to reduce administrative barriers that could cause eligible residents to lose coverage.

Oregon officials are rapidly training eligibility workers and distributing information to health care providers and families across the state as they coordinate a statewide response. Gov. Kotek emphasized that state agencies are attempting to maintain coverage for eligible residents despite new administrative requirements.

“One-third of Oregon families – including seniors, disabled Oregonians and children – rely on Medicaid, which is the Oregon Health Plan. We're working to ensure people who are eligible have a pathway to stay insured,” Kotek said. “The new rules institute additional administrative barriers that will lead to people losing their health care. That is why we are proactively getting information out to families and providers now and rapidly training eligibility workers as we coordinate our response to the changes across the state.”

The multi-state request follows a previous effort in May 2026, when Kotek and five other governors signed a letter urging federal officials to revise proposed implementation timelines and clarify ambiguous regulations. That earlier communication requested immediate written guidance, administrative flexibility and final rules aligned with early policy directions before taking effect. Federal officials did not grant those requests.

In the latest letter, the governors stated that extending the timeline would allow states to implement the federal law responsibly and ensure the new requirements are clear and navigable for Medicaid recipients.