As Republicans work to advance a massive bill containing much of President Donald Trump's domestic agenda,

one of the central flashpoints is its potential impact on Medicaid, affecting health care access for millions of lower-income Americans, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Jeff Bennett recorded this conversation about that earlier today.

That bill remains subject to change as it moves through the legislative process, but in its current

form, the House version proposes cutting more than $600 billion from Medicaid. It would also

impose work requirements for adults without dependents or disabilities up to the age of 64.

Require 80 hours of work a month with documentation twice a month in most cases

and reduce funding for state Medicaid expansion.

We're joined now by Jennifer Tolbert, the deputy director of the program on Medicaid

and the Uninsured at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Thanks so much for being here.

Thank you.

So this bill introduces a work requirement for Medicaid in 2026. What exactly would that look like,

given what we know about what happened in states like Arkansas and Georgia when they implemented a

work requirement? Right. So this bill for the first time imposes a national work requirement on the Medicaid program.

It would require people, certain individuals covered by Medicaid,

to work at least 80 hours a month or to engage in community service or work training or to be enrolled in school.

Now there are some exemptions. Parents of dependent

children, as well as people who are medically frail, are exempt from these requirements.

But nevertheless, these new rules are being added to Medicaid, despite the fact that the majority of people who will

be subject to the new requirements are in fact already working or are not working for

reasons that would likely qualify them for an exemption.

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