Work requirements and more frequent eligibility reviews will affect hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers. Parkview is investing in resources to help patients stay covered.
In February 2026, Indiana disenrolled 45.5 percent of Medicaid enrollees due for renewal. It was the highest procedural disenrollment rate in the country. Most of those Hoosiers did not lose coverage because they were ineligible. They lost coverage because of paperwork.
That was before the rules changed.
Beginning January 1, 2027, more than 650,000 Hoosiers enrolled in the Healthy Indiana Plan will face a new set of coverage requirements. Under Senate Enrolled Act 1, passed by the Indiana legislature in 2025, most adults ages 19 to 64 must complete and report at least 80 hours per month of work, job training, education, community service or another qualifying activity to remain covered. The state will also begin conducting formal eligibility redeterminations every six months instead of annually, aligning with a new federal requirement.
These changes have made Medicaid eligibility contingent on work, and have added reporting requirements for states that administer Medicaid programs. States that do not comply risk losing federal funding.
Indiana has already experienced one of the largest Medicaid enrollment declines in the country, with more than 430,000 Hoosiers losing Medicaid coverage since January 2025. Approximately 175,000 of those disenrolled individuals were children. Indiana has also disenrolled 45.5% of Medicaid beneficiaries due for renewal for procedural reasons, the highest rate in the nation.
Patients who lose coverage do not disappear. They show up later and sicker in emergency departments, where they receive the highest cost care.
The practical effect for Indiana patients is significant. A spring 2026 survey by the Health Management Academy found that 47.4 percent of Indiana Medicaid enrollees did not know work requirements are scheduled to take effect. Of those surveyed, 42.1 percent said they would ration medications if they lost coverage, and 31.6 percent said they would rely more heavily on emergency rooms. Indiana’s emergency departments already saw a 16.8 percent surge in uninsured patients over the past year — compared to just 1.4 percent nationwide.
What Parkview is doing
Parkview Health has been preparing for the coverage transition for months. The goal is straightforward. Help every eligible patient stay covered and connect uninsured patients to financial assistance when coverage cannot be maintained.
“When patients lose coverage, they don’t stop needing care. They delay it, they ration medications, or they show up in our emergency rooms sicker than they would have been,” said Jessica Lee-Hansen, chief financial officer at Parkview Health. “Our job is to make sure the patients we serve have the information and support they need to navigate these changes and stay covered when they qualify.”
Parkview’s support of Medicaid patients includes several components:
A dedicated patient resource hub. Parkview is launching a dedicated online resource – www.parkview.com/Medicaid – where Healthy Indiana Plan members can find plain-language guidance on the new requirements, eligibility exemptions, reporting procedures, and how to update contact information with the state — the single most common cause of procedural disenrollment.
A MyChart outreach campaign. Parkview will use its MyChart patient portal to notify Healthy Indiana Plan members of upcoming eligibility deadlines, exemption categories they may qualify for, and available support. The campaign is designed to reach patients directly, before a missed deadline becomes a coverage loss.
Expanded financial counseling. Parkview’s patient financial services team helps patients navigate coverage transitions. Financial counselors work one-on-one with patients to explore Medicaid eligibility, connect to coverage through the WellFund, and identify financial assistance available under Parkview’s existing policies for those who lose coverage.
Blog content and community outreach. Parkview will publish ongoing educational content addressing common questions about work requirements, reporting requirements and coverage renewal. In-person outreach at Parkview facilities will provide additional support for patients who prefer to talk with someone directly.
Alliance Health Centers, a Fort Wayne-based community health center supported in part by Parkview's Community Health Improvement program, provides primary medical, OB/GYN, pediatric and behavioral health care on a sliding fee scale to patients at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Alliance also operates a free Indiana Navigator service that helps anyone in the community apply for Medicaid, understand their current coverage, or explore options if they are uninsured.
The partnership between Alliance and Parkview allows for critical care to extend to and remain available in communities where the pressure of the Medicaid rule changes will land hardest.
“Alliance Health Centers extends lifesaving access to care to Medicaid, uninsured and underinsured populations that would otherwise be unable to access timely or affordable care,” said Dr. Nikki King, CEO of Alliance Health Centers. “Together with Parkview, we’re doing all that we can to help ensure that individuals keep their coverage and don’t delay necessary medical care.”
What patients should do now
The rules take effect January 1, 2027, but the timeline is more urgent than it appears. Applicants and members must already meet the work requirement three months before they apply or renew. That means Hoosiers who want coverage at the start of 2027 must have been in compliance as of October 1, 2026.
Broad exemptions exist for caregivers, people with disabilities, pregnant residents and others, but claiming an exemption requires documentation. Parkview is encouraging Healthy Indiana Plan members to take four steps immediately. 1) verify contact information with the state at fssabenefits.in.gov. 2) set up a benefits portal account. 3) determine whether they qualify for an exemption. and 4) respond promptly to every notice from the state.
Missing a deadline, not actual ineligibility, is the most common reason Hoosiers lose Medicaid coverage. Parkview’s investment in patient resources is designed to change that outcome for as many patients as possible.
“The best time for a patient to prepare for these changes is right now,” Lee-Hansen said. “The resources are ready. The support is available. Our commitment is to make sure no Parkview patient loses coverage simply because they didn’t have the information they needed.”
