States are implementing Medicaid work requirements, leaving families uncertain about which medical conditions qualify for disability-based exemptions. The new rules force officials to define "sick enough" to avoid work obligations, creating confusion over which illnesses automatically grant coverage protections. Some recipients fear losing benefits if their conditions don’t meet strict eligibility criteria. The shift raises concerns about who will bear the burden of proving disability under the updated system.
As state governments grapple with how to determine who's sick enough to be excused from new Medicaid work requirements, some families are already struggling with what illnesses guarantee health coverage because of a disability.
