Author: Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury

At a joint meeting of the Virginia Senate and House appropriations committees Thursday morning, Gov. Glenn Youngkin presented his final overview of the fiscal condition of the state of Virginia. He painted a rosy picture, with revenues coming out over forecast for fiscal year 2025 and a $4.7 billion cushion in rainy day funds.  Democrats, however, pushed back on the governor’s claim that no Virginia Medicaid enrollees would lose coverage under the new federal government requirements.

Recently, Congress signed off on the reconciliation bill that includes new Medicaid work requirements for “able-bodied” adult enrollees. Starting in 2027, Medicaid recipients will have to work or volunteer, or be enrolled in school. Most Medicaid recipients already work, while lawmakers and hospital associations in Virginia have warned that if thousands of Medicaid recipients lose their insurance, it could have “ripple effects” including a strain on health care centers and passed-down costs to taxpayers.