Medicaid enrollment falls by 5M+, work requirement implementation under scrutiny

A new report finds combined Medicaid and ACA marketplace enrollment has dropped by more than 5 million people, driven by the expiration of the pandemic-era continuous coverage provision and the implementation of new work requirements under the One Big Beautiful Bill. Analysts at the National Health Law Program are urging states to use their Medicaid Automated Eligibility Systems to closely track how OBBBA work requirements are being implemented, warning of procedural denials and coverage losses unrelated to actual employment status. For practices, this means more patients may present as uninsured or with disrupted coverage. Monitor your state's Medicaid agency reports on disenrollment reasons and prepare front-office staff for increased eligibility verification complexity.