The introduction of a work requirement for Medicaid eligibility may have the greatest impact on Medicaid beneficiaries with chronic illnesses.
According to a new analysis of the approximately five million people who are likely to lose their Medicaid eligibility between now and 2034 because of the new work requirement introduced in the FY 2026 budget reconciliation bill (the “One Big Beautiful Act Bill,”) more than 85 percent have at least one chronic medical condition and more than 40 percent have at least three such conditions. The percentages rise, moreover, among current Medicaid beneficiaries over the age of 50.
Some of these individuals may be eligible for a medical exemption from the work requirement but those who seek such exclusion face potentially challenging documentation requirements.
Learn more about the implications of the new Medicaid work requirement for people with chronic medical conditions from the Journal of the American Medical Association research letter “Clinical Characteristics of Adults at Risk of Medicaid Disenrollment Due to HR 1 Work Requirements” and from the Becker’s Payer Issues article “Most Medicaid adults at risk under work rules are chronically ill, study suggests.”