Nebraska Medicaid Work Requirements Lead to Coverage Losses, Raise National Concerns
Nebraska's implementation of new federally mandated work requirements for Medicaid has resulted in over 1,000 individuals losing or being denied coverage between May and August of this year. Human Rights Watch, Oxfam America, and Nebraska Appleseed report that this chaotic rollout highlights potential issues for other states as a nationwide deadline of January 1, 2027, approaches. These new rules, part of the Trump administration's One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) passed in July 2025, require most adults without dependents to document at least 80 hours per month of work, education, or other approved activities to maintain Medicaid coverage. An individual, Eli McCreary, 64, lost his Medicaid coverage while undergoing kidney cancer treatment because he was unable to work, disrupting his care. A Medicaid eligibility worker in Nebraska described the rollout as rushed and confusing, citing poor training, vague guidance, and technical issues with software systems. The OBBBA imposed new eligibility criteria on ...
