WA challenges federal Medicaid barriers jeopardizing Washingtonians’ health coverage
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Washington State Office of Attorney GeneralAttorney General Nick Brown today filed suit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ plans to implement changes to Medicaid that create new barriers to receiving health insurance through Apple Health.
Strict new requirements force more than 600,000 Washington residents to fill out onerous paperwork on a regular basis to prove they’re working, in school, or volunteering to keep their health insurance.
In states where these policies have been implemented, thousands of people have lost health coverage—not because they don’t qualify, but because they can’t keep up with the voluminous new red tape.
“This administration’s changes to Medicaid are the latest cruel effort to shred the safety net for tens of thousands of Washingtonians,” Brown said. “This red tape will make people lose their health insurance, stop going to the doctor when they’re sick, and rely on our public hospitals for emergency care when inevitable health issues spiral out of control.”
Medicaid—which is called Apple Health in Washington—is the healthcare safety net for low-income people. States and the federal government pay for it together, with the federal government covering at least half the cost. More than 1.9 million residents receive healthcare through Apple Health, covering 15% of adults and 36% of children.
The change to Medicaid eligibility was enacted in Trump’s 2025 budget bill, H.R. 1, but implementation does not begin until 2027.
The new requirements apply to Washington residents who are enrolled in Apple Health as part of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion. Washington Health Care Authority estimates that at least 20% of those members may lose coverage due to the new requirements. That equates to about 120,000 people. In particular, the new requirements will hit hardest in rural counties, which have higher Medicaid utilization and higher unemployment rates. The results could include closures of rural health facilities, compounding the harms for many years to come.
The lawsuit argues that Congress and the federal administration exceeded their constitutional authority by requiring Washington to implement these changes. Previously, Brown blocked implementation of paperwork burdens for seriously ill Washington residents to keep their Apple Health coverage.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon in Eugene. In addition to Brown, attorneys general from Minnesota, New Mexico, and Oregon joined the lawsuit.
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