Some residents are facing an unexpected disruption to a service they’ve relied on for years.

The changes weren’t widely broadcast—and for many, the impact is just starting to be felt.

Though the numbers vary by location, the underlying trend has triggered concern from experts nationwide.

And now, questions are swirling about what could happen next.



Roughly 900,000 people in California have been removed from Medicaid coverage over the past two years.

This is part of the broader Medicaid unwinding process that began after the nationwide public health emergency ended in 2023.

During the pandemic, states were required to keep most enrollees on Medicaid regardless of changes to their eligibility.


That rule expired in March 2023, allowing states to begin reevaluating and removing individuals who no longer qualified—or who failed to complete the recertification process.

California had 14,285,643 residents enrolled in Medicaid in March 2023. By March 2025, that number had dropped to 13,392,566, according to KFF data.

Although the decline in California is significant, it is smaller than the drop-offs seen in states like Texas, Florida, and New York.



Also read: Medicaid data-sharing agreement with ICE raises privacy questions—what to know

Despite the cuts, California’s Medicaid enrollment remains 16 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels.

This indicates that many people who gained coverage during the crisis have retained their benefits—at least for now.

According to Michael Sparer, Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University, states took very different approaches to the review process.

He noted that some states moved quickly to remove individuals, including many who were likely still eligible but missed deadlines or struggled with paperwork.


“There is clear evidence that many beneficiaries who were still eligible lost coverage simply because they did not timely navigate the administrative hurdles to recertification,” Sparer said.

California and New York, on the other hand, were “far more deliberate,” which may explain why fewer people were disenrolled there.

This comes amid new Medicaid-related policies tied to President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which includes potential funding cuts, increased scrutiny of “waste, fraud, and abuse,” and the possible introduction of work requirements.

Sparer added: “There is reason to be quite concerned about how this has played out and also what it suggests may happen when Medicaid work requirements...are implemented.”



Also read: Is your city next? How Trump’s shocking legal move could affect you

He warned that losing coverage can lead to bad health outcomes for those still eligible but forced off the plan, and emphasized the need for better guidance toward alternatives like subsidized ACA marketplace coverage.

While this specific wave affected hundreds of thousands in one state, the trend is expected to continue nationwide.

Experts worry about rising medical costs, strained emergency services, and reduced access to care for low-income families and seniors.

Read next: Nearly 1.8 million Texans have lost Medicaid coverage—here’s what that means for health care access
Are you or someone you know affected by the recent Medicaid changes? How do you feel about states handling the eligibility review process differently? Let us know in the comments.