Katrina Falkner knows what it’s like to be stuck in a Medicaid paperwork morass. The Chicago resident, who cares for her elderly father and other family members with disabilities, said she was disenrolled from the program in 2023 after the state Department of Human Services lost the paperwork that she had spent days organizing.

The agency told her that it reinstated her, she said. But when she went to the hospital, she found out she was still uninsured. It took several visits to multiple agency offices before the issue was resolved the following year.

The department told CNN that such scenarios are “extremely rare” and it works to “ensure timely review and enrollment” for all applicants eligible for Medicaid.

Falkner, 43, volunteers with several community organizing groups at least 20 hours a week and works every other Saturday as a Head Start ambassador for the Chicago Early Learning program. She also suffers from asthma, anemia, vertigo and other conditions, which can make it hard for her to work or volunteer at times. Being able to meet the reporting requirements concerns her, especially since her electricity and internet access are sometimes cut off.

“If I lost my Medicaid, it would cause me a whole lot of struggles,” she said, noting that the program covers her nebulizer and other health care needs. “If they don’t have the right documents, I won’t be able to be in existence because I can’t breathe.”

Read the full article: https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/31/politics/medicaid-cuts-work-requirements-gop-bill