Judge blocks Medicaid rule narrowing who counts as 'medically frail' under new work requirements

The CMS rule, issued in June, said the exemption applies only if a person's health condition "significantly impairs" their ability to meet the requirement, Reuters reported. Stearns wrote that enforcing an unlawful definition "may lead to the disenrollment of otherwise eligible vulnerable individuals." He upheld other parts of the rule that the states had challenged, according to Reuters and AP.

Under the 2025 law, adults aged 19 to 64, with some exceptions, must complete at least 80 hours a month of work or community engagement, or be enrolled in school at least half time, to qualify for Medicaid starting Jan. 1, 2027. CMS did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Reuters reported.

Why it matters: The work requirements are set to begin in about two months, and the frailty exemption determines whether many chronically ill enrollees must document work hours to keep coverage.