Feds encourage work requirement in Medicaid for able-bodied adults
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The state has in the past sought permission from the federal government to impose work requirements on certain Medicaid recipients, but under the Obama administration was denied.
The legislature passed a law in 2017 stating that the program will not be renewed this time around, unless a work requirement is authorized.
The announcement by the federal
In a 10-page letter to state Medicaid directors, CMS Director
The letter stresses that a work requirement would be acceptable only for "non-elderly, non-pregnant adult beneficiaries who are eligible for Medicaid on a basis other than disability."
Such able-bodied adults were not eligible for Medicaid in
Waiver still needed
The state will still have to apply for a waiver and undergo the full federal review process, but CMS will now support state efforts to "test incentives that make participation in work or other community engagement a requirement for continued Medicaid edibility," according to the
Sununu said the announcement is good news for the state's pending waiver application.
"Work requirements offer opportunities to lift individuals out of poverty, empower them with the dignity of work and self-reliability while also allowing states to control the costs of their Medicaid programs," he said in a statement released soon after the CMS announcement. "We are committed to helping more people get into the workforce, as it is critical not only for individuals but also for our economy as a whole."
In an interview on Wednesday, Sununu talked about the need for a New Hampshire Medicaid plan.
"When we talk about the expanded Medicaid population, we're going to design a
A bipartisan commission appointed to study the issue over the summer, led by Majority Leader
"We're exploring a lot of different opportunities for where those funds can come from," Sununu said.
Announcement well-timed
The CMS announcement was well-timed for
"Asking able-bodied adults to work is not a punishment. It's giving them a pathway to improved quality of life, expanded opportunities and an increased sense of worth," he said.
"Among adults with Medicaid coverage, nearly eight in 10 live in working families and a majority are working themselves," he said. "Adding a work requirement will only add additional bureaucracy and unnecessary administrative hurdles that will result in fewer people having health care."
Health Politics
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