Luke Farrell
@lukef.bsky.social
Built stuff for working people and solved crises @WhiteHouse @USDS 🚀 | itslukefarrell.substack.com
All my homies hate a price gouging data broker preying on America’s safety net!
Three Democratic senators accused the credit-rating company Equifax of price gouging states for a service many will use to comply with the new work requirements for Medicaid and food assistance passed by Republicans in Congress last year.
Senators Accuse Equifax of ‘Price-Gouging’ Medicaid Programs
The company’s data will be essential for many states to comply with new work requirements for the health insurance program that take effect next year.
nyti.ms
February 5, 2026 at 2:21 PM
All my homies hate a price gouging data broker preying on America’s safety net!
This Equifax takedown letter from Senators Warren, Wyden, and Sanders is encouraging, but it's insane we need Senators to demand public price transparency from a contractor that works for the public
February 4, 2026 at 10:08 PM
This Equifax takedown letter from Senators Warren, Wyden, and Sanders is encouraging, but it's insane we need Senators to demand public price transparency from a contractor that works for the public
Deloitte is a $74B cancer on American government is an accurate diagnosis, but MAGA is constitutionally incapable of solving this problem.
Government inefficiency, privatization, and grift *is* their political project.
Government inefficiency, privatization, and grift *is* their political project.
So over on Twitter, they did a "$1 million article contest." This is the guy who won the million dollar prize: (1/2)
February 4, 2026 at 3:59 PM
Deloitte is a $74B cancer on American government is an accurate diagnosis, but MAGA is constitutionally incapable of solving this problem.
Government inefficiency, privatization, and grift *is* their political project.
Government inefficiency, privatization, and grift *is* their political project.
Reposted by Luke Farrell
The week in review: Edie Conekin-Tooze on hidden foster care as neoliberal family governance, an open letter from seventy-two UMN law faculty, and @lukef.bsky.social on the means-testing industrial complex.
Plus, as always, the best of LPE from around the web 🧵👇
Plus, as always, the best of LPE from around the web 🧵👇
Weekly Roundup: Jan 30
Edie Conekin-Tooze on hidden foster care as neoliberal family governance, an open letter from seventy-two UMN law faculty, and Luke Farrell on the means-testing industrial complex. Plus…
lpeproject.org
January 30, 2026 at 4:36 PM
The week in review: Edie Conekin-Tooze on hidden foster care as neoliberal family governance, an open letter from seventy-two UMN law faculty, and @lukef.bsky.social on the means-testing industrial complex.
Plus, as always, the best of LPE from around the web 🧵👇
Plus, as always, the best of LPE from around the web 🧵👇
Reposted by Luke Farrell
New at Can We Still Govern: Here is one thing I wish more people understood about government. There is a lot of rent-seeking by private vendors in our social safety net. Trump's policies will make this worse.
@lukef.bsky.social breaks it down. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-means-...
@lukef.bsky.social breaks it down. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-means-...
The Means-Testing Industrial Complex
The vendors getting rich from putting administrative burdens on the poor
donmoynihan.substack.com
January 29, 2026 at 2:07 PM
New at Can We Still Govern: Here is one thing I wish more people understood about government. There is a lot of rent-seeking by private vendors in our social safety net. Trump's policies will make this worse.
@lukef.bsky.social breaks it down. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-means-...
@lukef.bsky.social breaks it down. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-means-...
Reposted by Luke Farrell
Important thread: for a long time I have been waiting to see a clear critique of vendor influence over the safety net space. This maps out the political economy of vendor capture of safety net systems.
Corporations are extracting billions from America’s safety net and their payday is about to be supercharged by new rules.
I lay out how programs like Medicaid have become vulnerable to corporate capture and what we need to build to stop it.
@lpeblog.bsky.social
lpeproject.org/blog/the-mea...
I lay out how programs like Medicaid have become vulnerable to corporate capture and what we need to build to stop it.
@lpeblog.bsky.social
lpeproject.org/blog/the-mea...
The Means-Testing Industrial Complex
As Republicans tightened work requirements and eligibility rules for Medicaid and SNAP last year, Equifax’s CEO openly celebrated the profits to be made from administering this deprivation.
lpeproject.org
January 28, 2026 at 6:58 PM
Important thread: for a long time I have been waiting to see a clear critique of vendor influence over the safety net space. This maps out the political economy of vendor capture of safety net systems.
Reposted by Luke Farrell
Today, Luke Farrell (@lukef.bsky.social) explains how complex eligibility requirements have turned America’s safety net into a lucrative revenue stream for monopolistic private contractors.
The Means-Testing Industrial Complex
As Republicans tightened work requirements and eligibility rules for Medicaid and SNAP last year, Equifax’s CEO openly celebrated the profits to be made from administering this deprivation.
lpeproject.org
January 28, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Today, Luke Farrell (@lukef.bsky.social) explains how complex eligibility requirements have turned America’s safety net into a lucrative revenue stream for monopolistic private contractors.
Corporations are extracting billions from America’s safety net and their payday is about to be supercharged by new rules.
I lay out how programs like Medicaid have become vulnerable to corporate capture and what we need to build to stop it.
@lpeblog.bsky.social
lpeproject.org/blog/the-mea...
I lay out how programs like Medicaid have become vulnerable to corporate capture and what we need to build to stop it.
@lpeblog.bsky.social
lpeproject.org/blog/the-mea...
The Means-Testing Industrial Complex
As Republicans tightened work requirements and eligibility rules for Medicaid and SNAP last year, Equifax’s CEO openly celebrated the profits to be made from administering this deprivation.
lpeproject.org
January 28, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Corporations are extracting billions from America’s safety net and their payday is about to be supercharged by new rules.
I lay out how programs like Medicaid have become vulnerable to corporate capture and what we need to build to stop it.
@lpeblog.bsky.social
lpeproject.org/blog/the-mea...
I lay out how programs like Medicaid have become vulnerable to corporate capture and what we need to build to stop it.
@lpeblog.bsky.social
lpeproject.org/blog/the-mea...
Today on Can We Still Govern, I got to share new research on how my team at USDS drove around the country in a van to protect Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans after the pandemic - and share some lessons learned for the coming crisis.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
Lessons from Pandemic Era Medicaid Automation for Work Requirements
Small tech capacity investments offer big returns
donmoynihan.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Today on Can We Still Govern, I got to share new research on how my team at USDS drove around the country in a van to protect Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans after the pandemic - and share some lessons learned for the coming crisis.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
Reposted by Luke Farrell
Full credit here to the incredible USDS team @lukef.bsky.social that worked closely with states to ensure so many Medicaid eligible low-income families and children didn't lose their health insurance coverage. Automation is a tool. Done well, it can work wonders.
Cool new study from @pamherd.bsky.social, @giannella.bsky.social, @jbarofsky.bsky.social, @lukef.bsky.social, & @donmoyn.bsky.social finds technical assistance & capacity improvements from USDS significantly improved Medicaid renewal outcomes during unwinding
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/...
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/...
November 4, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Full credit here to the incredible USDS team @lukef.bsky.social that worked closely with states to ensure so many Medicaid eligible low-income families and children didn't lose their health insurance coverage. Automation is a tool. Done well, it can work wonders.
Also, if this continues we’re cooked 👇We can and must build alternatives that don’t rely on private data brokers.
November 3, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Also, if this continues we’re cooked 👇We can and must build alternatives that don’t rely on private data brokers.
New NYT investigation reveals how Equifax plans to profit from Medicaid work requirements.
The dominance and price hiking uncovered would be alarming in any industry, but it's unconscionable when families' healthcare is at risk and tax payers are footing the bill.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/h...
The dominance and price hiking uncovered would be alarming in any industry, but it's unconscionable when families' healthcare is at risk and tax payers are footing the bill.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/h...
‘A Big Positive’: How One Company Plans to Profit From Medicaid Cuts
www.nytimes.com
November 3, 2025 at 2:19 PM
New NYT investigation reveals how Equifax plans to profit from Medicaid work requirements.
The dominance and price hiking uncovered would be alarming in any industry, but it's unconscionable when families' healthcare is at risk and tax payers are footing the bill.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/h...
The dominance and price hiking uncovered would be alarming in any industry, but it's unconscionable when families' healthcare is at risk and tax payers are footing the bill.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/h...
Reposted by Luke Farrell
The public data that we all rely on is under attack, from economic statistics 📈 to weather data🌪️. So we are sharing stories every day about how essential public data is. Calling all data nerds to add your favorite dataset to the collection at essentialdata.us 🤓
America's Essential Data
Highlighting examples of how our essential public data serve the American people.
essentialdata.us
August 3, 2025 at 8:38 PM
The public data that we all rely on is under attack, from economic statistics 📈 to weather data🌪️. So we are sharing stories every day about how essential public data is. Calling all data nerds to add your favorite dataset to the collection at essentialdata.us 🤓
I got to share some reasons why Republicans’ Medicaid cuts are going to be a disaster for states with the New York Times this weekend 🗞️
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/u...
Why a G.O.P. Medicaid Requirement Could Set States Up for Failure
www.nytimes.com
June 30, 2025 at 1:11 PM
I got to share some reasons why Republicans’ Medicaid cuts are going to be a disaster for states with the New York Times this weekend 🗞️
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/u...
Reposted by Luke Farrell
The Republicans’ big bill would require most states to build technology systems quickly and with little funding.
The result could be major failures in state systems affecting everyone on Medicaid.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/u...
The result could be major failures in state systems affecting everyone on Medicaid.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/u...
Why a G.O.P. Medicaid Requirement Could Set States Up for Failure
www.nytimes.com
June 28, 2025 at 2:36 PM
The Republicans’ big bill would require most states to build technology systems quickly and with little funding.
The result could be major failures in state systems affecting everyone on Medicaid.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/u...
The result could be major failures in state systems affecting everyone on Medicaid.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/28/u...
Today in the @missouriindependent.com
I shared how new Medicaid red tape imposed by Republicans will kick over 10 million people off their healthcare, including more than 180,000 people in Missouri ‼️
missouriindependent.com/2025/06/06/r...
I shared how new Medicaid red tape imposed by Republicans will kick over 10 million people off their healthcare, including more than 180,000 people in Missouri ‼️
missouriindependent.com/2025/06/06/r...
Republicans' new Medicaid red tape will push Missouri to the brink and block healthcare for millions • Missouri Independent
The budget bill passed by the U.S. House will kick millions of people off of Medicaid by piling on new red tape.
missouriindependent.com
June 6, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Today in the @missouriindependent.com
I shared how new Medicaid red tape imposed by Republicans will kick over 10 million people off their healthcare, including more than 180,000 people in Missouri ‼️
missouriindependent.com/2025/06/06/r...
I shared how new Medicaid red tape imposed by Republicans will kick over 10 million people off their healthcare, including more than 180,000 people in Missouri ‼️
missouriindependent.com/2025/06/06/r...
Returning to social media against my better judgement 👋
June 4, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Returning to social media against my better judgement 👋