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Health Industry Washington Watch

CMS Clears the Way for States to Add Medicaid Work/Community Engagement Requirements

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Page d'accueil Perspectives CMS Clears the Way for States to Add Medicaid Work/Community Engagement Requirements
CMS has announced a new initiative allowing states to propose demonstrations to “improve Medicaid enrollee health and well-being through incentivizing work and community engagement.” Specifically, states may propose Section 1115 waivers to make participation in work or other community engagement a requirement for continued Medicaid eligibility or coverage for non-elderly, non-pregnant adult Medicaid beneficiaries who are eligible for Medicaid on a basis other than disability. 

CMS explains the criteria it will use to evaluate state proposals, including:  alignment with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) programs; population subgroups included in the demonstration (including observance of all federal civil rights laws); the proposed range of activities that would satisfy the work and community engagement requirement; the proposed beneficiary supports in meeting the new requirements; and local employment market conditions.  CMS also specifies that any section 1115 waiver program must be budget neutral; states will not be permitted to accrue savings from an associated reduction in enrollment.

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