Upcoming federal changes to Medicaid could lead to widespread coverage losses and financial strain on hospitals, with Clay County residents among those expected to feel the effects.Lauren Crome, health policy analyst at the Clay County Public Health Center, outlined the impact during a recent Excelsior Springs Substance Abuse Free Environments (SAFE) meeting.Crome explained Missouri currently has about 1.22 million people enrolled in Medicaid, also known as MO HealthNet. Of those, 327,000 are adults in the Medicaid expansion group, a population targeted by new work and activity rules. About 71% of adult enrollees are working, and 32% live in rural areas.Cuts in funding and tighter eligibility rules are projected to result in enrollment losses of 130,000 to 170,000 Missourians. For Clay County, that translates to between 7,800 and 10,200 people losing coverage.Although Clay County is part of the Kansas City metro, its proximity to rural co...