Medicaid Is Essential for Addressing the Homelessness Crisis. The Reconciliation Bill Would Make It Worse

Manatt Health Managing Director co-wrote an article for Urban Institute discussing the critical role of Medicaid in addressing the homelessness crisis and how the proposed reconciliation bill could worsen the situation.

In the article, Johnson highlights the importance of combining Medicaid services with affordable housing to improve outcomes for homeless individuals. The proposed reconciliation bill introduces burdensome requirements—such as proof of address, citizenship and frequent eligibility checks—that could lead to increased health care disenrollment among homeless individuals, exacerbating their difficulties in accessing necessary services. She argues that legislators should instead focus on evidence-based interventions that effectively connect homeless individuals to healthcare and housing support.

Johnson co-wrote the piece with , associate vice president for the Housing and Communities Division at the Urban Institute.

Read the full article . At the time of authoring the article, the reconciliation bill had not yet passed. Updated information about the impacts and details of the reconciliation bill can be found .