Episode
Medicaid Work Requirements and the Unraveling of Health Coverage with Ben Sommers
- Podcast
- Turn on the Lights Podcast
- Published
- Jan 16, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3048
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Summary
Millions of Americans could lose health coverage in the coming years, and the consequences may be more profound than most people realize. In this episode, Dr. Ben Sommers, the Huntley Quelch Professor of Health Care Economics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women’s Hospital, talks about how new federal policies, including Medicaid work requirements and the rollback of Affordable Care Act subsidies, are reshaping access to health insurance in the U.S. Drawing on extensive research, he explains why these changes are expected to increase uninsured rates without meaningfully boosting employment. Dr. Sommers also shares evidence from prior state experiments showing that administrative red tape, not a lack of willingness to work, drives coverage loss. He outlines the ripple effects on patient health, safety-net providers, and hospitals, especially in rural and underserved communities. Tune in to understand what these policy shifts mean for patients, providers, and the future of the U.S. health care system. Resources: Follow the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on LinkedIn and explore their website! Learn more about the One, Big, Beautiful Bill here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices