AMA Backs Lawsuit Challenging CMS Medicaid Work Requirement Rule
The American Medical Association and eight other physician groups filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting a lawsuit brought by Columbus, Ohio and health advocates against HHS over its implementation of Medicaid work requirements. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland, argues CMS's rule unlawfully requires "medically frail" enrollees to prove their conditions prevent them from working, contrary to the statutory exemption in the 2025 reconciliation law. Plaintiffs estimate the rule's added documentation burden could push national coverage losses to 8.2 million annually, roughly 30% above the law's original projections, with up to 143,000 Ohio expansion enrollees at risk. Work requirements largely take effect January 1, making the litigation's outcome time-sensitive for states implementing compliance systems.