John,

The Republican leadership in the House of Representatives is preparing to unveil a massive tax and funding bill that likely includes a minimum $200 billion cut to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid―and could achieve this cut by adding onerous work reporting requirements to Medicaid.¹ In other words, instead of looking to reduce health costs, Congressional leaders are moving a plan that could mean 36 million Americans lose health coverage.²

Let’s be clear: most working-age adults on Medicaid either are working or would be exempt. But where this has been tried, the bureaucratic reporting requirements trip up many people who really are eligible―they don’t receive the notice, or lack required paperwork, or don’t understand what they’re being asked to supply. An analysis by the Congressional Budget Office found that work reporting requirements will result in people being dropped from Medicaid, but that work will not increase.³ In fact, access to Medicaid has been shown to support employment. Poor health care can increase the risk and frequency of job losses, while having access to health care coverage has a positive impact on job stability.⁴ Research has shown that six in ten nonelderly, nondisabled adults who received health care via Medicaid were already working full or part-time. The rest would be exempt from work for reasons such as being a caregiver, attending school, or health problems.⁵

Implementing work reporting requirements for Medicaid is something Trump tried to do in his first term, but was blocked by the courts. As we’ve seen from the first two weeks of his presidency, legality isn’t something he seems worried about.

We need Congress to act quickly. We’ve seen what happens when states implement Medicaid work reporting requirements, even for a little while. Before a court stopped its program, Arkansas instituted Medicaid work reporting requirements in 2018 and, as a result of confusing reporting mechanisms, communication failures, and other issues, 18,164 people were swiftly removed from Medicaid.⁶

Send a direct message to Congress urging them to protect Medicaid funding in the current budget negotiations.

This is the future that House Republicans are planning for in order to renew and expand tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest households and corporations. Except this time it will cause even deeper damage to our communities and our economy. It’s estimated that 36 million people would lose Medicaid coverage if work reporting requirements were implemented nationwide (see this new report for how many could lose health coverage in your Congressional District).⁷

Millions of people shouldn’t have to suffer so that a wealthy few can continue to receive massive tax handouts.

Send a message to Congress today telling them to defend Medicaid in current budget negotiations and prevent cuts that will harm millions of people.

Thank you for all you do,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, CHN Action

¹ House GOP nears plan for Trump’s agenda — but may not have the votes
² 36 Million People at Risk of Having Health Coverage Taken Away by Medicaid Work Requirements
³ Congressional Budget Office, Work Requirements and Work Supports for Recipients of Means-Tested Benefits
⁴ An Overview of Medicaid Work Requirements: What Happened Under the Trump and Biden Administrations?
⁵ Understanding the Intersection of Medicaid & Work: A Look at What the Data Say
⁶ February State Data for Medicaid Work Requirements in Arkansas
⁷ Medicaid Work Requirements Could Put 36 Million People at Risk of Losing Health Coverage