New campaign aims to help millions at risk of losing Medicaid coverage under work requirements

Key Points:

• Starting January 1, new federal work and reporting requirements for Medicaid recipients will take effect, putting about 10 million Americans at risk of losing coverage due to increased administrative burdens.
• The "Keep Your Care" campaign, funded with $2 million, was launched to educate states and Medicaid recipients about these changes, focusing on states with Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.
• Melanie and Greg Stephens, caregivers for their disabled daughter in Virginia, highlight concerns about the complexity of proving exemptions and fear coverage loss due to administrative errors despite being exempt from work requirements.
• Supporters of the new rules, primarily Republicans, argue the changes target waste and fraud to improve program sustainability, while opponents warn the requirements create unnecessary obstacles and risk coverage loss for vulnerable populations.
• Advocacy groups behind Keep Your Care aim to assist Medicaid recipients in maintaining coverage and influence state implementations, providing state-specific guidance and tracking reporting deadlines to prevent coverage gaps.