The Trump administration's new Medicaid work requirements tighten medical frailty exemptions, putting coverage at risk for patients like DeAnna Brandon, a cancer survivor from North Carolina. - The rule requires that a condition "significantly impair" ability to work, volunteer, or attend school.
- Patients must attest to frailty initially but prove it with documentation by 2028. - States are confused about how to implement the rule, as claims data does not show impairment.
- Republicans defend the rules as saving Medicaid for those who need it most, while critics warn of needless coverage loss. The changes take effect January 1, 2027, with a $200 million federal allotment to help states, but total costs may exceed $1 billion.