New federal guidance is giving states including Wisconsin a roadmap for implementing Medicaid work requirements.

More than 1 million Wisconsin residents — about 1 in 5 people in the state — receive health coverage through Medicaid programs. Health advocates warn that added paperwork and reporting requirements could create barriers for some eligible recipients.

Maddy Twomey, communications director for Protect Our Care, said one concern is that people could lose coverage even if they qualify. She pointed to recipients whose first language is not English, people without steady internet access and those working multiple jobs.

“It's very, very easy to fall through the cracks and lose their Medicaid coverage,” Twomey said.

Wisconsin has not implemented Medicaid work requirements, but the federal guidance outlines how states would administer the program. Backers of the new requirements contend they are designed to encourage work and reduce dependence on government assistance.

Federal Medicaid work requirements must be in place by Jan. 1, 2027.

Nationally, more than 71 million Americans receive health coverage through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP.

Twomey said she is also concerned about how the requirements could affect people already struggling with serious health issues.

“People I really fear for are people who genuinely just have very complex medical conditions where they are facing a lot of medical appointments and they need medications to maintain their condition,” Twomey said. “So what experts fear is people will become too sick to work.”

Health policy experts note that most Medicaid recipients who can work are already employed, in school or caring for family members.

Source: Public News Service