Nebraska's Rushed Medicaid Work Rules Trigger Wrongful Coverage Losses
Nebraska launched Medicaid work requirements on May 1, eight months ahead of most states, under the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, according to KFF Health News reporting via NPR. Omaha resident Eli McCreary, recently diagnosed with kidney cancer, said a hospital told him his Medicaid coverage had been terminated for failing to meet the 80-hour monthly work requirement, despite his cancer and other serious health conditions; he canceled a CT scan and delayed a cancer appointment as a result. About 70,000 adult Nebraska Medicaid recipients are subject to the requirements, and state records show the health department budgeted $8.2 million over two years for contractors from Public Consulting Group and Covendis to help implement the changes and more frequent eligibility checks. State officials cite data showing 86% of affected applicants met the requirement or qualified for an exclusion and 93% of existing enrollees kept coverage, while advocates and clinics say the rollout has caused confusion, inaccurate information, and coverage losses tied to inadequate staffing and training.