politics
Nebraska Adds Work Requirements for Medicaid
Nebraska has become the first U.S. state to enforce new federal Medicaid work requirements under President Trump's recent tax and spending bill. The policy mandates 80 hours per month of work or approved activities for able-bodied adults aged 19 to 64 without dependents. Estimates suggest thousands in Nebraska and millions nationwide could lose coverage by 2034.
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Nebraska became the first state to implement federal Medicaid work requirements on Friday, following mandates from President Trump's tax and spending bill passed last summer. The requirements apply to able-bodied recipients aged 19 to 64 without dependents, requiring 80 hours per month of work, schooling, volunteering, or other approved activities.
Exemptions include parents or guardians of children under age 14 and those with disabilities. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the policy could lead to 5.2 million Americans losing Medicaid coverage nationwide by 2034, increasing the number of uninsured by 4.8 million.
A report from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities indicated that between 28,000 and 41,000 Nebraskans are at risk of losing coverage by that year. The bill includes broader changes, such as requiring states to conduct eligibility redeterminations every six months instead of annually, prohibiting state funds for covering undocumented immigrants, and increasing paperwork for income and residency verification.
Health policy experts expressed concerns about the effects on vulnerable populations. Sara Rosenbaum, professor emerita of health law and policy at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health, highlighted risks to individuals with chronic conditions going untreated.
Dr. Benjamin Sommers, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, noted challenges for those with variable job hours or multiple gigs in proving compliance.
“People should be aware of what's going to happen to their neighbors ... the people who clean their houses, the people that pick their crops. These are the people who are about to lose their health care.”
