More than 21,000 Louisianans could lose Medicaid coverage under new work requirements included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a federal proposal that includes new Medicaid work requirements to increase workforce participation among recipients.
Medicaid is a state and federally funded health insurance program for low-income individuals, families, seniors and people with disabilities, which covers medical care, prescriptions and mental health services. About one in three people in Louisiana rely on the program.
The work rules require certain adults on Medicaid to demonstrate that they are working, attending school, participating in job training or volunteering to maintain coverage. Those who do not meet or report these requirements risk losing access to health care.
The state plans to reduce administrative hurdles by using wage and medical data for automatic verification and including the requirement in standard applications and renewals, rather than requiring monthly reporting.
State officials estimate that more than 21,000 residents could lose Medicaid if they fail to comply with the new requirements, leaving many without access to essential health care.
Student reactions to the proposed Medicaid work requirements revealed a mix of concern, frustration and cautious support.
Arielle Magee, a sophomore speech-language pathology major, said that while working to maintain coverage is not unreasonable, the expectations may be unrealistic for full-time students.
“It’s not bad to work 80 hours a month for coverage, but for students taking 15 or more credit hours, it’s hard to get enough hours with jobs. Most of us are already balancing heavy course loads, so adding these requirements would make things harder,” Magee said.
Kennedy Hughes, a junior visual arts major, said she had not heard about the policy prior to the interview and expressed concern that losing Medicaid could disrupt students’ education.
“It feels like an extra requirement for something that’s already a human right. Some students already work but can’t reach 80 hours because of their course load, so it’s unfair to add more onto them,” Hughes said.
Amanda Babin, a junior photography major, understands the intent behind the policy but believes students should be treated differently.
“I kind of agree with it because I know people who abuse the system and don’t get jobs so they can stay on Medicaid, but for students, it’s unfortunate because some don’t have time to work,” Babin said.
Kendra Williams, a sophomore nursing major, also said the policy changes are an unfair burden on full-time students.
“I think it’s unfair. Health insurance in America is already expensive and losing Medicaid could be very detrimental to students,” Williams said.
As Louisiana moves forward with implementing the new Medicaid requirements, students remain divided on the policy’s intent and impact.
With thousands of residents potentially losing coverage, the changes raise ongoing questions about how to balance workforce participation with access to healthcare, particularly for college students managing full-time academic responsibilities.
