Montana starts enforcing Medicaid work requirements on Oct 1. Patients are confused

In most states, people with Medicaid coverage will have to prove they're working, volunteering or studying, starting Jan. 1. But Montana is starting that early, and it's sowing confusion and anxiety.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5712x4284+0+0/resize/5712x4284!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb4%2F87%2Fb9ffd3fa47d6b75c10de70d8d287%2Fmontana-medicaid-01.jpeg' alt='Rep. Mary Caferro, a Democrat in the Montana House, spoke at a rally in July at the Montana Capitol in Helena, criticizing the state's expedited rollout of Medicaid work requirements. She's among several Democrats who pushed for the state to delay implementing the rules until the Jan. 1 federal deadline.'/><p>In most states, people with Medicaid coverage will have to prove they're working, volunteering or studying, starting Jan. 1. But Montana is starting that early, and it's sowing confusion and anxiety.</p><p>(Image credit: Aaron Bolton)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5946766' />