Medicaid coverage is linked to better health and increased workforce participation, especially among low-income adults with serious health conditions, according to a new study from an IHPI team that has evaluated Michigan’s Medicaid expansion for the past decade. As 40 states prepare to implement new Medicaid work requirements in 2027, researchers caution that such policies could create barriers to care and undermine the intended goal of promoting employment. The study shows that enrollees who experienced health improvements were significantly more likely to gain full- or part-time work, offering key evidence for policymakers implementing changes to Medicaid rules.
