Health officials are speaking out over new requirements Medicaid patients will have to meet to stay insured.
(ABC 6 news) – Local mental health experts are speaking out against new requirements from President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” which those on Medicaid will soon have to meet to stay insured.
Starting January 1, non-disabled adults aged 18-64 will have to work, volunteer or by in school at least 80 hours per month to remain eligible.
Republican lawmakers say these guardrails are necessary to prevent fraud and won’t impact those who are struggling.
However, mental health professionals say the new requirements could make it harder for people who lose their jobs due to mental illness because they could lose their healthcare at the same time.
“It’s not unusual for it to take three years for someone with a serious mental illness to be certified as disabled,” said Sue Abderholden, Executive Director of NAMI Minnesota.
In rural communities, high concentrations of Medicaid recipients are worrying providers, as some may not get access to their benefits.
“The rates are already low, we do not have a lot of margins for providing uncompensated care– but when people are in mental health crisis, I’m not comfortable turning them away,” said Shannon Brown, Executive Clinical Director at Fernbrook Family Center.
Brown says missed deadlines and a smaller paper trail make it hard to get on Medicaid, but are also key signs of mental illness.
Fernbrook Family Center is planning to combat this by sending out more reminders and offering free sessions.
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