And other policy matters.

House Bill two is Kentucky's attempt to cut costs and implement federal changes to the Medicaid program.

Governor Andy Beshear vetoed the priority bill, but state lawmakers are reaffirming their action to see it become law.

Our June Leffler explains.

Democrats say low income Kentuckians will have to jump through more hoops to prove they still need state sponsored health insurance under House Bill two.

In many cases, it is a matter of life or death.

Changes include more frequent paperwork and community engagement or work requirements.

Kentuckians will have to undergo those.

The six month eligibility checks it sets up in.

It really results in people having to work twice as hard, to to stay enrolled in Medicaid.

Life tends to be messy at times, and sometimes, when you are working or you lose your job in transition, there are a lot of things that happen that make some some of what we are offering very, very difficult.

A state fiscal note bears these concerns out.

The bill's cost analysis finds that community engagement requirements would kick nearly 14,000 people off Medicaid expansion over the next two fiscal years.

More frequent eligibility requirements would do the same for nearly 19,000 people in fiscal year 2028, though these changes would save the state $47 million.

But these changes also largely reflect new federal rules already coming down the pike.

Governor Andy Beshear vetoed House Bill two for these requirements and other reasons.

His administration is responsible for administering the program and says the state legislature left Medicaid $2.8 billion short to implement such changes.

House Bill two sponsor says the state Department of Medicaid Services, or DMs, needs new guidelines.

I think we demonstrated time in a timeout that there's a lack of oversight, a lack of accountability, a lack of responsibility from the DMs in terms of maintaining the waiver and maintaining the Medicaid program.

The House and Senate voted today along party lines to override the governor's veto and keep House Bill two as is.

The bill came after much negotiation with the Senate, delaying when changes would go into effect.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Jenn Leffler.

Thank you June.

One of the later changes to House Bill two, a pilot program to help those who do end up losing their Medicaid coverage.

That's estimated to cost $10 million over two years.