Half of U.S. States Challenge Trump’s Medicaid Work Mandates
WHO:
ABC News - Democrats in 25 states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration.
ABC News - New York Attorney General Letitia James is one of the Democrats suing the administration.
WHAT:
ABC News - The lawsuit challenges the Trump administration's new Medicaid work requirements.
ABC News - The plaintiffs argue that the new rules will prevent eligible Americans from accessing necessary care.
ABC News - The lawsuit claims that the interim final rule released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) oversteps the law.
ABC News - Starting January 1, expansion enrollees age 19 to 64 will need to show they work or do community service for at least 80 hours a month or are in school at least half the time.
ABC News - The new definition of medical frailty requires that a condition must “significantly impair” the ability to work, volunteer, or attend school to qualify for an exemption.
WHERE:
CT Mirror - The lawsuit involves states including Connecticut and others led by Democrats.
WHEN:
ABC News - The new Medicaid work requirements are set to take effect on January 1.
ABC News - The lawsuit was filed on a Monday, following the release of the interim final rule earlier that month.
ABC News - Patients can attest to meeting the new medical frailty definition in 2027 and once in 2028, but will need to prove it when renewing coverage in 2028.
WHY:
ABC News - The plaintiffs allege that the new rules create harmful coverage barriers and chaos in states rushing to implement new systems.
ABC News - The Trump administration promotes the new rules as measures to eliminate government freeloading and preserve benefits for those who need them most.
HOW:
ABC News - The lawsuit claims that the CMS rule went further than the law by changing the definition of medical frailty without adequate communication with the states.
(UPDATED June 30, 2026 15:52 UTC)
Democrats in 25 states and the District of Columbia, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, are suing the Trump administration over new Medicaid work requirements that they argue will hinder eligible Americans from accessing necessary care. The lawsuit claims that the interim final rule released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services oversteps legal boundaries by altering the definition of medical frailty and creating barriers to coverage. These new requirements are set to take effect on January 1, requiring expansion enrollees aged 19 to 64 to demonstrate work or community service for at least 80 hours a month, or be enrolled in school at least half the time.