Courtney Statement After Judge Blocks Trump Admin’s New “Medical Frailty” Rule

NORWICH, CT - Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement after a federal judge blocked the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) new "Medical Frailty" rule, which would require patients suffering from chronic diseases and debilitating illnesses, including cancer, to document that their illness actually impairs their ability to work or lose their Medicaid health care coverage (HUSKY in Connecticut).

"The CMS' 'Medical Frailty' rule is another draconian health care cut by the Trump Administration that would hurt the most vulnerable Americans. As Judge Stearns correctly ruled today, this rule exceeds the statute of the law under President Trump's own 'Big Beautiful Bill,'" Courtney said. "At a roundtable I hosted in Norwich this month with Attorney General Tong and Connecticut Department of Social Services Commissioner Barton Reeves, patient groups and Commissioner Barton Reeves confirmed the chaos the CMS rule will cause for life saving therapies. The overwhelming impact is that Americans, including cancer patients, will lose their health care coverage, states will expend unacceptable resources processing complex paperwork, health care providers will be further burdened, and our nation's health will decline. President Trump, Secretary Kennedy, and Administrator Oz should heed Judge Stearns' clear ruling and scrap their cruel Medical Frailty rule."

In July, Courtney led the Connecticut House delegation in sending a letter to CMS during the comment period for the Medical Frailty rule, expressing their strong opposition to the rule. Click here to read the letter.

This month, Courtney, Connecticut's Attorney General William Tong, and Connecticut Department of Social Services Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves hosted a roundtable with patient advocates to discuss this CMS rule and more impending health care cuts coming as a result of President Trump's so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" (H.R. 1)

President Trump's so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" (H.R. 1) was passed by Congress with only Republican votes and was signed into law by President Trump in July 2025. The bill made a nearly $1 trillion cut to Medicaid (HUSKY in Connecticut) to pay for a tax break for the top 1%.

Under H.R. 1's new Medicaid coverage requirements which begin on January 1st, 2027, it is estimated that 100,000 Connecticut residents will lose their HUSKY health care coverage. Nationwide, over 8 million Americans lost health care coverage due to Trump Administration policies in the year since H.R. 1 became law. Millions more Americans are expected to lose coverage when H.R. 1's most significant cuts take effect on January 1st.

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