STAT+: Federal judge rejects new Medicaid ‘frailty’ definition for work requirements

STAT PlusHealth Federal judge rejects new Medicaid ‘frailty’ definition for work requirements The injunction broadens exemptions for people who are sick or disabled Manage alerts for this article Save this story for later Share this article By O. Rose Broderick, Anil Oza, and Isabella CuetoOct. 29, 2026 O.

Rose Broderick[email protected]Rose covers disability and mental health, and she helps write STAT’s daily Morning Rounds newsletter. Confidential tips can be sent to Rose on Signal at rosebroderick.11.Anil Oza[email protected]Anil Oza is a general assignment reporter at STAT focused on the NIH and health equity. You can reach him on Signal at aniloza.16.Isabella Cueto[email protected]Isabella is a chronic disease reporter writing about how the Trump administration is tackling the nation’s health epidemic — or not.

You can reach her on Signal at isabellacueto.03. The rollout of Medicaid work requirements may be delayed past the start of the year after a federal judge on Thursday rejected the federal government’s new definition of “medical frailty” and ruled that states did not have adequate time or resources to overhaul eligibility systems. Judge Richard D.

Stearns of the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts ruled that federal regulations on who is too sick to work were too restrictive, and said that the suit from more than two dozen states successfully demonstrated that implementation of the Medicaid work requirements, as written, would cause “irreparable harm.” Advertisement “Because enforcement of an unlawful definition of ‘medically frail’ may lead to the disenrollment of otherwise eligible vulnerable individuals relying on Medicaid coverage for continuity of care, the States (and public) face potential for great hardship in the absence of an injunction,” Stearns wrote in his order. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account?

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Rose Broderick Disability in Health Care Reporting Fellow Rose covers disability and mental health, and she helps write STAT’s daily Morning Rounds newsletter. Confidential tips can be sent to Rose on Signal at rosebroderick.11. Anil Oza General Assignment Reporter Anil Oza is a general assignment reporter at STAT focused on the NIH and health equity.

You can reach him on Signal at aniloza.16. Isabella Cueto Chronic Disease Reporter Isabella is a chronic disease reporter writing about how the Trump administration is tackling the nation’s health epidemic — or not. You can reach her on Signal at isabellacueto.03.

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