Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear criticized the Medicaid work requirements in President Donald Trump’s new tax and spending package during an interview Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press. Beshear called the requirements a “ruse,” accusing the administration of weaponizing red tape to slash coverage and harm vulnerable rural communities.
Beshear argued that the rules double paperwork not only for able-bodied adults but also for caregivers and special-needs parents. He warned that the policy is designed to disqualify recipients who miss administrative steps, leading to automatic coverage loss for six months or more. According to Beshear, this isn’t about encouraging work—it’s about driving down Medicaid rolls.
He projected that in Kentucky alone, 200,000 people could lose Medicaid coverage under the new law. Beshear also warned that 20,000 healthcare jobs are at risk, along with the future of 35 rural hospitals, many of which are the second-largest employers in their counties. He claimed that this would devastate rural economies, affecting everything from local restaurants to community banks.
The governor framed the legislation as a redistribution of resources from rural America to the wealthy elite in urban centers. He described the policy as a betrayal, asserting that it cuts off critical healthcare access for working-class and elderly Kentuckians, while offering tax breaks to high-income individuals who don’t rely on Medicaid.
Supporters of the law argue that work requirements promote self-sufficiency and reduce long-term dependency on government programs. However, opponents say the law fails to consider the reality of caregiving responsibilities, disabilities, and employment limitations in rural areas with limited job opportunities.
Beshear’s comments reflect growing concern among Democratic governors in red and swing states, where rural hospital closures and healthcare job losses could have lasting economic and political impacts.
