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Nebraska's Medicaid work rules rollout draws scrutiny after cancer patient's coverage dispute

NPR reports Nebraska began enforcing Medicaid work rules May 1, and a cancer patient says a hospital told him he lost coverage.

Published Nov 9, 2026 · 13:40 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • NPR reports Nebraska launched new Medicaid work rules on May 1.[NPR]
  • Eli McCreary of Omaha says a hospital told him he was no longer insured under Medicaid.[NPR]
  • Jeff Powell confirmed McCreary was eligible for Medicaid under the ACA, placing him in the work-requirement population.[NPR]
  • The state says it has no record of McCreary calling the health department, and the reporting does not establish his coverage status.[NPR]

Key facts

  • Nebraska launched new Medicaid work rules on May 1.[NPR]
  • Eli McCreary of Omaha says a hospital told him he was no longer insured under Medicaid and would cancel his appointments unless he paid out of pocket.[NPR]
  • Jeff Powell confirmed McCreary was eligible for Medicaid because of the ACA, placing him in the population subject to work requirements.[NPR]
  • The state says it has no record of McCreary calling the health department.[NPR]

What remains uncertain

  • The reporting does not establish whether McCreary lost Medicaid coverage, since his account and the state's records point in different directions.[NPR]
  • The reporting does not explain why McCreary was told he lost coverage when the state confirmed he was eligible.[NPR]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.