James Boasberg, a judge for the US District Court for the District of Columbia, issued two opinions on Wednesday blocking the Medicaid work requirements in Kentucky and Arkansas.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) approved Kentucky’s work requirement plan in January 2018, but the plan has yet to go into effect. The plaintiffs are Kentucky residents who are receiving Medicaid.

In Arkansas, as of June 2018, Medicaid recipients were required to show that they were employed in order to receive health benefits under the Arkansas Works Amendments. HHS approved the AWA in March 2018. Since then, more than 16,000 Arkansas residents have lost Medicaid coverage. The plaintiffs are 10 Arkansas residents who depend on Medicaid.

Boasberg blocked the work requirements in both cases, writing that they were “arbitrary and capricious” because HHS had not properly considered the effects that the work requirements would have on Medicaid recipients.

HHS already permitted six other states to implement work requirements.