What Could Medicaid Work Requirements Mean for People with Disabilities Waiting for Medicare Coverage? Authors: Abby Sachar, Alice Burns, Jennifer Tolbert, and Amaya Diana Published: Oct 14, 2026

https://www.kff.org/medicaid/what-could-medicaid-work-requirements-mean-for-people-with-disabilities-waiting-for-medicare-coverage/ This analysis finds that Medicaid through the expansion pathway covered over 1 in 4 SSDI applicants and beneficiaries waiting to become eligible for Medicare (120,300 people out of a total 415,300 in 2023). In future years, people applying for and new to SSDI may experience difficulties maintaining Medicaid prior to becoming eligible for Medicare because of the new work requirements.