Health · Healthcare & Policy · 7 hrs ago
Nebraska Medicaid work rules leave cancer patient without coverage
Nebraska began enforcing Medicaid work requirements on May 1, months before most states are due to do so.
The rules affect about 70,000 adults, who must show they work or take part in a similar activity for 80 hours a month unless they qualify for an exemption.
Eli McCreary of Omaha says he lost coverage after being told he had not met the requirement.
He had recently been diagnosed with kidney cancer and also has diabetes and chronic lung disease.
He postponed cancer tests and an appointment after a hospital said it would cancel appointments unless he paid out of pocket.
State officials say 93% of existing enrollees kept their coverage, while clinics and advocacy groups say the rollout has had problems, including inadequate training and staffing.
Democrats say they plan to repeal the changes in January, but it is unclear whether they can overcome a possible veto by President Trump.
Eli McCreary, a Nebraska Medicaid recipient recently diagnosed with kidney cancer, was told he had lost coverage under the state’s new work rules.
He said he canceled a CT scan and other tests and delayed a cancer-related appointment after the hospital warned it would cancel appointments unless he paid out of pocket.
Nebraska launched the rules on May 1, eight months before most states were set to do the same.
State officials said the rollout had been successful, while health clinics and advocacy groups reported problems with training and staffing.
- Who
- Eli McCreary, a 64-year-old Omaha resident at the time, was told he had lost Medicaid coverage.
- What
- Nebraska’s Medicaid work rules were applied to his coverage, and he said he canceled tests and delayed an appointment.
- When
- Nebraska launched the rules on May 1. McCreary said he was diagnosed in June; the article was published November 9, 2026.
- Where
- Omaha, Nebraska.
- Why
- A call center representative told McCreary he had not fulfilled the work requirement. The sources do not state why his coverage was ended.
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Health clinics and advocacy groups
Rollout
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
The department said the rollout had been very successful and cited data on applicants meeting the requirement or qualifying for an exclusion and existing enrollees retaining coverage.
Health clinics and advocacy groups
Clinics and groups advocating for poor and working-class Nebraskans said the rollout had been rife with problems, including poor training and inadequate staffing.
A substance use treatment program discharged McCreary.
Nebraska launched its Medicaid work rules.
McCreary was diagnosed with cancer in his right kidney.
McCreary said a hospital told him he had lost Medicaid coverage and warned it would cancel appointments unless he paid out of pocket.
- Work requirement
- 80 hours a month of work or a similar activity, unless exempt
- Affected recipients
- About 70,000 adult Medicaid recipients in Nebraska
- Launch date
- May 1
- Existing enrollees
- 93% kept their coverage, according to state data
- Applicants
- 86% met the requirement or qualified for an exclusion, according to state data
What people are saying
I don't understand what job I can get
has been very successful
We're excited to be able to be the first to make it happen
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