States gird for new Medicaid ‘medically frail’ rule

State Medicaid agencies are worried that many chronically ill and disabled individuals could lose their coverage due to a change in the definition of "medically frail." This shift, prompted by the Trump administration, aims to tighten eligibility for exemptions from new work requirements introduced by the tax and spending law enacted last year. With this change, states fear that a significant portion of their Medicaid enrollees may no longer qualify, raising concerns about the accessibility of essential healthcare services for vulnerable populations. This move underscores the ongoing tension between federal policy changes and their impact on state-level healthcare programs.