Nebraska Medicaid work rules leave more than 1,000 without coverage
More than 1,000 Nebraskans have reportedly been denied or lost Medicaid coverage since the state began enforcing new work requirements in May. Nebraska implemented Medicaid work requirements eight months ahead of the federal deadline. Six months later, concerns are growing about whether eligible residents are being turned away because of paperwork problems. Frankie MacGregor, a Nebraska Medicaid applicant, speaking at a recent Omaha town hall hosted by Nebraska Appleseed , shared her experience navigating the state's new requirements. "I was denied again, so two times, for not meeting the work requirements even though I do meet the work requirements but the state of Nebraska never asked," MacGregor recounted. Nebraska's Medicaid program covered roughly 338,000 residents in 2025. About 70,000 Medicaid expansion recipients are subject to the new work reporting rules, which generally require 80 hours of qualifying activities in a month unless an exemption applies. At the town hall, speakers described long telephone wait times, unanswered questions and delays in processing Medicaid applications. Trevor Toteve, policy analyst at the OpenSky Policy Institute , said state figures show many denials stem from missing documentation or unanswered requests rather than a determination applicants failed to work. "Of the nearly 1,400 individuals who've
