Over 5 million adults may lose Medicaid coverage

A new report warns that between 4.6 million to 5.2 million adults could lose their Medicaid coverage next year if Congress introduces work requirements. This change could impact many in states that expanded Medicaid. Currently, over 80 million Americans rely on Medicaid for health care. But if work requirements are mandatory, many could lose their insurance. Most of those threatened with losing coverage are expected to struggle with new reporting requirements, not because they lack jobs. In fact, up to 90% of Medicaid recipients work, seek jobs, or meet other exceptions like being in school or having a disability. Some lawmakers see work requirements as a way to reduce government spending, especially in the Medicaid program. Under President Donald Trump, a new department was created to focus on cutting federal spending. Medicaid is one of the programs that could face significant cuts, with proposed spending reductions of $880 billion. Experts have mixed opinions on the proposed work requirements. Katherine Hempstead from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation stated that they could create unnecessary complications and leave eligible people without coverage. Chris Fong, a Medicare specialist, pointed out that while these requirements might encourage some to find jobs, they could overwhelm others with paperwork, leading to loss of essential healthcare. The situation is reminiscent of past trends, such as in Arkansas, where many people lost coverage not due to ineligibility but because they couldn’t navigate the reporting process. If work requirements are enforced, more people could face medical debt or go untreated for health issues, all due to administrative challenges. Overall, the introduction of federal work requirements for Medicaid could lower enrollment numbers and cut spending but might also make it harder for those in need to stay covered.