Advocates Raise Alarm About Medicaid Changes: ‘People Will Die’ 

This week the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released a ruling on pending changes to Medicaid coverage that opponents say will force tens of thousands of recipients in West Virginia to lose their coverage.  

The ruling is the result of Medicaid changes made through the One Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress last year. It spells out work, education and community service requirements for Medicaid – an effort, says the federal government, to help people build skills and independence. It also details how recipients must re-qualify every six months and who is able to get a waiver.  

West Virginia Citizen Action says the ruling places an even greater burden on the most disadvantaged members of society. 

“What concerns me is that people who are eligible and should be able to stay on the program are going to lose coverage because of, basically, just paperwork overburden,” spokesperson Mindy Holcomb said. “This is nothing more than bureaucratic red tape, and keeping people from health care.”  

“They’re going to lose their health insurance through Medicaid,” Holcomb said. “People are going to get sicker, and they’re not going to seek medical attention until they’re so far gone and they have to go to the emergency room. Hospitals will be providing a greater numbers of uncompensated care cases, and people are going to die from this.”  

In contrast to the claims made by West Virginia Citizen Action, a new study from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation finds the new requirements could reduce poverty by as many as 2.9 million people.  

The changes go into effect on January 1.