By: David Machledt and Skyler Rosellini
Executive Summary
Millions of people eligible for or enrolled in the adult Medicaid expansion program are at risk of losing access to health coverage when new federal work requirements go into effect January 1, 2027. We may never know exactly how many individuals lose coverage due to this policy unless states take action to prioritize data generation as they change their systems to meet OBBBA requirements. This brief offers concrete recommendations derived from NHeLP’s previous work recommending key data metrics for California. We focus on how states should prioritize the most important data to clearly document key work requirement outcomes. Targeted data collection will support interventions or eligibility system changes that might lessen the worst harms. Included with these recommendations is an appendix of key metrics that we recommend prioritizing while advocates track implementation in their state.
