Crystal Strickland spent years trying to qualify for Medicaid due to her heart condition, a journey that’s particularly challenging given her inability to work. Her frustration was palpable when she found out about new legislation passed by the U.S. House requiring many capable individuals to work in order to qualify for health insurance through Medicaid. She questioned the reasoning behind the move, asking, “What about the people who can’t work but can’t afford a doctor?”
This legislative measure is included in a broader bill that was approved by the House and is now under Senate review. Initially pushed by President Donald Trump, the bill aims to implement extensive tax and government spending cuts while reshaping parts of the country’s social safety net. Advocates for the bill argue that work requirements will reduce fraud and ensure that taxpayer-funded health care is reserved for those who are unable to work.
The rule allows for exceptions, including individuals under 19 or over 64, those with disabilities, pregnant women, primary caregivers, and recently released prisoners. The work requirement would only affect adults who obtained Medicaid through expansions made by 40 states as part of the 2010 health insurance overhaul. However, details on how these changes will be applied remain cloudy, causing concern for recipients anxious about potentially losing their benefits.
Advocates for the sick and disabled worry that even those exempt from working could face challenges in keeping their benefits due to complicated paperwork. Strickland, who has experienced homelessness and resource scarcity, expressed concern that heightened Medicaid access challenges would not serve people in need.
Steve Furman is concerned about his autistic 43-year-old son possibly losing his health coverage. While a disability exception in the bill might cover his son, past issues navigating government systems have already proven difficult, taking a year to secure Medicaid in Arizona. Without support from Medicaid, Furman fears his son’s basic needs might not be met.
Currently, around 71 million adults are enrolled in Medicaid, with a vast majority — around 92% — already meeting existing thresholds by working or attending school. Nonetheless, concern persists as earlier estimates suggested about 5 million may lose coverage under the proposed administrative changes. In a recent KFF poll, the majority of adults indicated concerns that Medicaid spending cuts might lead to an increase in uninsured individuals and place a strain on healthcare providers.
The experience in states like Arkansas and Georgia, where work requirements have kept individuals off Medicaid without boosting employment rates, intensifies these worries. Amber Bellazaire, a policy analyst, notes that the burden of proving Medicaid work compliance might lead to eligibility losses based solely on administrative hurdles.
For individuals like Lexy Mealing, diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 and dependent on Medicaid from short-term disability, the proposed changes bring a daunting uncertainty. As she copes with treatments and surgeries, she stressed the importance of health insurance, recognizing the potential risk under the new bill. Similarly, Felix White, a diabetes patient, voices concern about losing Medicaid, which covers critical medical supplies and procedures kept him alive.
These experiences underscore the complex interplay between health policy changes and individual needs, as more is debated on how best to support vulnerable populations while balancing budgetary constraints.