Shortly after being diagnosed with kidney cancer, Eli McCreary of Omaha, Neb., was told by a hospital that he'd lost his Medicaid coverage. Chris Machian/KFF Health News hide caption

Chris Machian/KFF Health News

Eli McCreary of Omaha, Neb., said he had recently been diagnosed with kidney cancer when he got a call from a local hospital run by CHI Health. He said he was informed that he wasn't insured anymore under Medicaid — and that the hospital would cancel his appointments unless he paid out-of-pocket.

McCreary, who was 64 at the time, said he phoned a call center for help. He said he was told his benefits under Medicaid, the government health program for people with low incomes or disabilities, now required that he have a job.

"You're required to do work to stay on," McCreary said a representative told him. "And you haven't fulfilled your work requirement."

For decades, McCreary said, he has battled drug addiction.…