Meta Description: Received a 2026 Medicaid work requirement notice? Learn what to prepare in Illinois and Pennsylvania and how CamScanner helps you scan, organize, search, and manage Medicaid records.
Introduction
Medicaid changes taking effect in 2027 will introduce new work and community engagement requirements for certain adults in states including Illinois and Pennsylvania. If you received a notice in September 2026, the practical question may be less about understanding every detail of the new rules and more about knowing whether the requirements apply to you, what you may need to report, and how to keep relevant records ready.
The important point is that receiving a notice does not mean every Medicaid recipient must immediately upload a full set of documents. Both Illinois and Pennsylvania say they will first use information already available to verify qualifying activities or exemptions when possible. Additional information may be requested when existing data is not sufficient.
At CamScanner, we focus on the document side of this process. When important records are still on paper, CamScanner helps turn them into clear digital copies that are easier to review, organize, search, and prepare for submission.
With Auto Crop, Enhance, Batch Scanning, OCR, PDF tools, Cloud Sync, and CS AI, CamScanner can help simplify the everyday paperwork involved in keeping Medicaid-related records organized.
The key is to prepare based on your state, your circumstances, and the instructions in your Medicaid notice rather than creating a one-size-fits-all document package.
1. What the September 2026 Medicaid Notices Mean
The September 2026 notices are part of state preparations for Medicaid changes that begin in 2027.
In Illinois, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) says it mailed a September 2026 notice to Medicaid customers in the ACA population who may be affected by new work requirements and six-month redeterminations. HFS states that Medicaid coverage is not changing immediately. For people currently enrolled in ACA Adult Medicaid, the new work requirement will be reviewed at their first applicable redetermination in 2027.
Pennsylvania DHS has also begun communicating with potentially affected Medicaid recipients. Its current guidance says outreach began in August 2026 and continues through September. The new work and community engagement requirements begin January 1, 2027. Current Medicaid recipients will generally report that they meet the requirement or an exemption at their next renewal in 2027.
This means a September notice should not automatically be interpreted as an instruction to upload a complete set of documents immediately.
Instead, treat the notice as an opportunity to understand what applies to your case, check your renewal information, keep your contact information current, and organize relevant records before they are needed.
2. First Determine Whether the New Requirements Apply to You
Before gathering documents, determine whether you are part of the Medicaid population affected by the new requirements.
Illinois
Illinois applies the new work requirement to people receiving Medicaid under the ACA Adult expansion group, subject to the applicable eligibility rules and exemptions.
HFS says individuals can check their notices or their Manage My Case account to see their Medical Group. Customers in other Medicaid categories, including programs such as Moms and Babies, All Kids, and Family Health Plans, are not subject to these specific work requirements. HFS also notes that adults 65 and older and many people with disabilities are not subject to these requirements.
For ACA Adults who are subject to the requirement, Illinois identifies several ways to qualify. These include earning at least $580 in a month, completing at least 80 hours of work, community service, or a qualifying work program in a month, attending school at least half-time, or combining qualifying activities to reach the applicable monthly requirement.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s new work and community engagement requirements generally apply to Medicaid applicants and recipients who are ages 19–64, do not have a dependent child under age 14, and do not qualify for an exemption. The requirements begin January 1, 2027.
Pennsylvania allows qualifying activities such as work, volunteering or community service, job training, and education. A person can generally meet the requirement through one activity or a combination of qualifying activities totaling at least 80 hours per month. Pennsylvania also identifies a monthly income threshold of $580 as another way to meet the requirement.
Because the two states do not use identical eligibility categories, exemptions, or reporting procedures, do not rely on a generic Medicaid checklist as a substitute for your state’s instructions.
Your Medicaid notice, state agency guidance, and individual case information should determine what applies to you.
3. What Documents May You Need?
There is no single nationwide list of documents that every Medicaid recipient must submit.
The records that may become relevant depend on what the state needs to verify, such as employment, income, education, community engagement, or an exemption.
| Situation | Potentially Relevant Records |
| Employment | Pay stubs, employer records, employment letters, work-hour records |
| Income | Wage records, self-employment records, other income documentation |
| Education | Enrollment records or school documentation |
| Training | Work-program or job-training documentation |
| Community service | Volunteer or community-service records |
| Exemption | Records supporting the applicable exemption or circumstance |
| Medicaid case | State notices, renewal information, and other Medicaid correspondence |
This is a preparation reference, not an official universal submission checklist.
Illinois HFS says it will check available data sources first. If that information is sufficient to determine whether a person meets the work requirement or qualifies for an exemption, the individual will not need to provide additional information. If more information is needed, HFS will send a notice requesting it.
Pennsylvania DHS follows a similar approach. It will try to use information already on hand and will request additional information when necessary. In Pennsylvania, paid work must be verified, while in 2027 most other qualifying activities and exemptions can generally be reported through self-attestation on the application or renewal. Beginning in 2028, additional information will be required at application and renewal to demonstrate compliance or an exemption.
Organize the records you already have
If relevant documents are scattered between paper folders, email attachments, and phone photos, it can take unnecessary time to locate the right record later.
This is where CamScanner can help.
You can create a dedicated digital folder for Medicaid-related records and organize documents by category, such as employment, income, education, exemption-related records, and state notices.
CamScanner’s Auto Crop helps capture documents without unnecessary background, while Enhance can improve readability. When several pages belong to the same record, Batch Scanning makes it easier to capture them together.
You do not need to scan every document you own. Start with records that are relevant to your situation and keep the original paperwork safely stored.
4. How CamScanner Helps Turn Paper Records into Usable Digital Documents
A casual phone photo may be enough for personal reference, but official paperwork often contains small text, dates, amounts, and other details that need to remain readable.
CamScanner is designed to support the document workflow from capture through final file preparation.
When scanning a paper record, Auto Crop detects the document boundaries to create a cleaner digital copy. Enhance can improve readability and reduce visual distractions caused by shadows or uneven lighting.
If you have several pages belonging to one record, Batch Scanning lets you capture them together rather than creating a collection of unrelated images.
After scanning, CamScanner’s page-management tools allow you to review the document, reorder pages, remove duplicates, and correct mistakes before exporting the final file.
A practical preparation workflow is:
Scan with CamScanner → review the pages → organize the document → export the final PDF.
The review step matters. Before using a scanned record for an official submission, check that names, dates, amounts, and other relevant information are complete and readable.
CamScanner helps create the digital copy; it does not change what the original document says.
5. Use OCR and PDF Tools to Make Medicaid Records Easier to Find
Digitizing paperwork solves one problem, but a growing collection of documents can create another: finding the information you need later.
CamScanner’s OCR technology can recognize text in scanned documents, making content easier to search and review.
For example, if you keep several employment records, OCR can help you locate information within the documents without manually opening every image. This becomes particularly useful when records accumulate over several months.
CamScanner’s PDF tools can also help keep related pages together.
Instead of saving five separate photos of a multi-page record, you can organize them into one clearly named PDF, such as:
Medicaid_Employment_Records_2026.pdf
You can maintain separate files for different categories rather than combining unrelated information into one oversized document.
This makes it easier to review your records before submission and maintain a clear copy of what you provided if you need to reference it later.
6. Illinois and Pennsylvania Use Different Processes
The document-preparation approach can be similar across states, but the actual Medicaid process is state-specific.
| Illinois | Pennsylvania | |
| Who may be affected | Certain ACA Adult Medicaid customers | Certain Medicaid applicants and recipients ages 19–64 without a dependent child under 14, unless exempt |
| Work requirement begins | January 1, 2027 | January 1, 2027 |
| Current recipients | Reviewed at the first applicable 2027 redetermination | Report at the next applicable renewal in 2027 |
| Verification | HFS checks available data first | DHS checks information already on hand first |
| When more information is needed | HFS may send a notice requesting additional information | DHS may send a letter requesting additional information |
| Response period | 30 days to provide requested information | 30 days to provide requested information |
| Digital submission | Manage My Case will support relevant exemption requests and work-document uploads by January 2027 | COMPASS and myCOMPASS PA can be used to submit information |
Illinois HFS says ACA Adults will move from annual to six-month redeterminations beginning in 2027, on a rolling basis based on each person’s redetermination date.
Pennsylvania similarly says some adults ages 19–64 will move to six-month renewals. Current recipients will generally move to the six-month cycle after completing their next renewal in or after February 2027.
The reporting process also differs. Pennsylvania says applicants and recipients must report that they meet the work requirement or an exemption at application and renewal. Paid work must be verified, while most other qualifying activities and exemptions can be self-attested in 2027.
The differences are important because CamScanner prepares your documents, but your state Medicaid agency controls the eligibility and submission process.
For Illinois, HFS says Manage My Case will support exemption requests and work-document uploads by January 2027. Pennsylvania provides digital submission options through COMPASS and the myCOMPASS PA mobile app, as well as mail and County Assistance Offices.
Before submitting a CamScanner-created PDF, check the instructions in your notice for the required information, submission method, and deadline.
7. Use CamScanner and CS AI to Manage a Growing Document Collection
For some people, the challenge will not be a single document but a growing collection of records.
Employment documents, school records, state notices, correspondence, and exemption-related paperwork can accumulate over time. Keeping these files organized makes it easier to respond when information is requested.
CS AI can provide additional assistance after documents have been digitized.
Once a document has been scanned and its text recognized with OCR, CS AI can help users organize, summarize, or analyze information contained in their own document collection. For example, it can help identify what types of records are included or summarize information across several scanned documents.
Users should still verify important details against the original records.
CS AI does not determine whether someone qualifies for Medicaid, whether a particular exemption applies, or what documents a state agency will accept. Those decisions belong to the relevant Medicaid agency and applicable rules.
Keep a copy after submission
Document organization also matters after you submit your materials.
Keep copies of:
- The original Medicaid notice
- Supporting documents
- Final submitted files
- Submission confirmations
- Follow-up correspondence
CamScanner Cloud Sync can help keep digitized records available across supported devices, which can be useful when documents need to be reviewed later or from another device.
For sensitive personal records, use appropriate privacy practices and submit documents only through the official channel identified by your state.
Conclusion
Preparing for Medicaid work requirement changes does not mean collecting and scanning every document you have.
A better starting point is to understand your notice, determine whether the new requirements apply to you, identify the records that may be relevant, and keep those records organized in case your state requests additional information.
At CamScanner, we make the document side of that process easier.
From Auto Crop and Enhance when capturing paper records to Batch Scanning, OCR, PDF tools, Cloud Sync, and CS AI, CamScanner provides a practical set of tools for turning scattered paperwork into clear, searchable, organized digital documents.
Whether you are keeping employment records, school documentation, income information, exemption-related paperwork, or Medicaid correspondence, CamScanner helps you keep important documents accessible and ready for review.
The most important thing is to follow the instructions from your state Medicaid agency. Illinois and Pennsylvania have different eligibility categories, reporting procedures, and verification rules, and implementation details may continue to develop as the 2027 changes take effect.
Prepare the records relevant to your situation, keep them organized, and let CamScanner take care of the paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do I need to scan all my Medicaid documents now?
No. Illinois and Pennsylvania both indicate that agencies will use available information when possible. Additional documentation may be requested when existing information is not sufficient.
Do I need to upload Medicaid documents every month?
Not necessarily. There is no universal requirement for every affected person to upload documents every month. Follow the reporting, application, and renewal instructions provided by your state.
What documents should I prepare for Medicaid work requirements?
Potential records can include employment, income, education, training, community-service, or exemption-related documentation. The exact information you need depends on your circumstances, state, and the instructions you receive.
What should I do if Medicaid asks for additional documents?
Read the notice carefully, identify the requested information and deadline, prepare the relevant records, and submit them through the official method specified by your state.
Can CamScanner scan Medicaid documents into a PDF?
Yes. CamScanner can scan paper documents, automatically crop document edges, enhance readability, capture multiple pages, recognize text with OCR, organize pages, and export documents as PDFs.
Can CS AI determine whether I qualify for Medicaid?
No. CS AI can help with document recognition, organization, and analysis, but Medicaid eligibility and exemption decisions are determined by the applicable rules and the relevant state Medicaid agency.
Sources & References
1. https://hfs.illinois.gov/medicalclients/medicaidguide/hr1customernotices.html — Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, HR 1 Customer Notices
2. https://hfs.illinois.gov/medicalclients/medicaidguide/changes.html — Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Upcoming Changes to Medicaid
3. https://hfs.illinois.gov/info/fedresctr/faqshowwillfedchimpactmedicaid.html — Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Federal Medicaid Changes FAQ
4. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/resources/medicaid/medicaid-changes — Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Changes Coming to Medicaid
5. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/resources/medicaid/medicaid-toolkit — Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Medicaid Changes Communications Toolkit