Older, medically complex Medicaid beneficiaries are among those most at risk of losing coverage due to work requirements, according to a study published Oct. 1 in JAMA.
A team led by researchers at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., used a cross-sectional analysis of 2017–23 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data to identify Medicaid adults at risk of disenrollment under HR 1’s work requirements, examining their demographic, socioeconomic and clinical characteristics.
The work rules, part of President Donlad Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, require individuals ages 19-64 to work at least 80 hours per month to be eligible for Medicaid.
Of the roughly 5 million adults at risk of disenrollment by 2034, an estimated 86.8% had at least one chronic condition. About 41% had three or more chronic conditions. This percentage was even higher (66.3%) among adults aged 50-64.
Many of these beneficiaries may be eligible for exemptions from work requirements, though documentation requirements may pose barriers, the researchers said.
They noted that if coverage is lost, patients may experience disruptions in treatment and prevention efforts for chronic diseases, leading to adverse clinical outcomes
See the full study here.
