FYI, see Trump administration defends Medicaid work requirements (The Hill, 9/27/18).
Update: Michigan proposes to amend its “Healthy Michigan Plan” to require Medicaid beneficiaries with income between 100 percent and 133 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) to engage in annual healthy behaviors in order to maintain eligibility after 48 months of cumulative enrollment; to require non-exempt beneficiaries to pay a monthly 5 percent of income premium; and to require certain beneficiaries to participate in work or other community engagement requirements as a condition of continued Medicaid eligibility. Federal comments on the Michigan proposal will be accepted through October 26, 2018. See the Pending Application; View/Submit Public Comments.
Worth repeating: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is now reviewing a waiver proposal from Alabama to establish work requirements for the “traditional” Medicaid population, including parents of young children. As explained in its waiver application, the state proposes to mirror its TANF JOBS Program, so will require able-bodied Medicaid beneficiaries to participate in 35 hours per week of employment-related activities, or 20 hours per week if they are a parent or caretaker relative of a child under age 6 years old. See Trump Administration to Review Alabama Work Requirements for Medicaid (The Hill, 9/21/18). Public comments on the Alabama waiver are due on October 21.
South Dakota has also submitted a waiver proposal to CMS to establish a requirement in two counties (comments due Sept. 26), and Virginia is developing one that is open for public comment at the state level until October 20.
More on state waivers:
- Section 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waivers: The Current Landscape of Approved and Pending Waivers (article; issue brief) (Kaiser Family Foundation issue brief, 9/20/18)
- An Early Look at State Data for Medicaid Work Requirements in Arkansas (article; issue brief Kaiser Family Foundation, 9/13/18)
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