Why physicians are fighting the Medicaid work rule

The American Medical Association has stepped up its legal fight against how the federal government is carrying out Medicaid work requirements. The AMA, the Maryland State Medical Society (MedChi) and seven other national physician organizations have filed an amicus brief in Taylor v. Kennedy, a new lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The suit challenges Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regulations that make it harder for people with serious or complex medical conditions to qualify for the medical frailty exemption.

Physician groups have been pushing for protections since CMS finalized the rule. The AMA earlier called for Medicaid work requirement exemptions for vulnerable patients. In the new brief, the coalition argues that CMS overstepped the authority Congress gave it under H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The groups also warn that the rule could pile documentation demands onto patients and make physicians the de facto judges of who qualifies.

For practices, the stakes are concrete. These include coverage losses among eligible patients, interrupted treatment, and new administrative work arriving at the same moment many are preparing for Medicaid work requirements to take effect. The Maryland case adds to a growing legal challenge that already includes a lawsuit from 25 states and the District of Columbia.