Nebraska Implements Work Requirements for Medicaid Recipients

Nebraska became the first state on May 1 to implement new work requirements for some Medicaid recipients in accordance with the "One Big Beautiful Bill."

The Details: According to Nebraska's Dept. of Health and Human Services, able-bodied adults between 19 and 64 who are covered under Medicaid expansion are required to complete at least 80 hours per month of either employment, schooling, job training or volunteering, or meet an income threshold equivalent to working at the federal minimum wage, to continue their coverage. Parents or guardians of children under 14 and those with disabilities are exempt from the changes. Several outlets reported between 28,000 and 41,000 Nebraskans were at risk of losing health coverage by 2034 due to the work requirements.

Broader Impact: The Center on Budget and Policy Priority estimated that between 9.9 million and 14.9 million people could risk losing Medicaid coverage by 2034 under these new requirements, while the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated about 5.2 million. Combined with other policy changes, the CBO also estimated roughly 16 million more people would be uninsured by 2034.

For Context: The change is part of the "One Big Beautiful Bill"–passed last year by the Trump administration–which requires states to adopt work requirements for able-bodied adults by Jan. 1, 2027. As of Jan. 2026, roughly 68 million people were enrolled in Medicaid. In 2023, the Kaiser Family Foundation (Center) found roughly 64% of non-elderly adults enrolled in Medicaid worked either full- or part-time. When including those not working (29%) due to disability, attending school or caregiving, it found roughly 92% of Medicaid recipients were either working or faced a significant barrier to employment.

How the Media Covered It: Many outlets on the left emphasized the negative impact on current Medicaid recipients and the potential for millions to lose coverage as a result of the legislation. Many outlets on the right acknowledged the impact, but generally highlighted the GOP's push to protect taxpayer money and have a social safety net for the "truly needy."

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