Johanna Lister

New Medicaid rules, resulting from a budget package that will slash $1 trillion over the next decade, require enrollees between ages 19 and 64 to prove participation in work or job training for at least 80 hours monthly. The New York State Department of Health estimates these changes could lead to up to 475,000 New Yorkers losing coverage, potentially increasing the uninsured population by 45%. Advocates warn that loss of coverage will cause people to forgo primary care visits, placing accumulating costs on local hospitals.