Special Poll
State Medicaid programs across the country reported losing access to federal payment portals on Tuesday, just one day after President Trump announced a freeze on federal grants and aid. This disruption raised immediate concerns about funding delays for critical healthcare services.
By late afternoon, several states, including Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, confirmed they had regained access. However, some states continued to experience technical issues.
The freeze was outlined in a memo issued Monday by Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Matthew Vaeth. The directive ordered federal agencies to halt “all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance” wherever legally possible.
Following the freeze, Medicaid programs reported being locked out of the online portals used to access federal funds. Lawmakers quickly voiced their concerns, with Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon stating on social media that his staff had verified reports of Medicaid portal outages in all 50 states. He called the move a direct attempt to strip health insurance from millions of Americans, warning that it could have life-threatening consequences.
Other lawmakers, including Representative Maxwell Frost of Florida and Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii, echoed these concerns. Multiple states confirmed the outages to The Hill, further heightening anxieties about potential disruptions in Medicaid payments.
In response, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged the issue, stating that the administration was aware of the Medicaid portal outages. However, she assured the public that payments were still being processed and distributed without delay. Despite this reassurance, state officials and healthcare advocates remain wary, closely monitoring the situation for any further complications.