Nebraska starts Medicaid work-rule cuts as 200 face coverage loss
Why it matters: New federal rules could put about 20 million Medicaid enrollees in 44 states through 80-hour monthly work checks.
Nebraska is becoming the first state to remove Medicaid recipients under new work requirements created by President Donald Trump’s 2025 budget law, with roughly 200 people set to lose coverage at the start of the rollout. Under federal guidance, recipients in Medicaid expansion states will generally have to work, volunteer, attend school or join job training for 80 hours a month to keep benefits, though exemptions apply for some people with disabilities, serious illness, caregivers and pregnant women. Rare disease advocates say the standards for medical exemptions remain vague and could be applied unevenly by states, raising the risk that eligible patients lose coverage or face paperwork barriers.