Three years ago, Heather Payne was a career travel nurse. But while between jobs and insurance, she suffered a debilitating stroke while at home in Dalton, Georgia. I wasn't able to work.I was too sick at the time. Like the new national work requirements, Georgia's Pathways program adds steps and paperwork for people seeking Medicaid, allowing flexibility in determining what qualifies as work, as well as some exemptions. So Payne started taking classes but learned she was still not taking enough credits to ...

Three years ago, Heather Payne was a career travel nurse. But while between jobs and insurance, she suffered a debilitating stroke while at home in Dalton, Georgia. My doctors wanted me to see a lot of specialists.That's expensive. The 53-year-old says the medical bills racked up, quickly exhausting her savings and sending her into medical debt. Then in 2023, Georgia implemented the Pathways to Coverage program, which expanded eligibility for Medicaid, but attached work requirements, too.They said that I wo ...