Capitol Correspondence - 01.29.18

Lawsuit Filed to Block Kentucky’s Medicaid Work Requirements Waiver

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According to a snippet from Politico Pro:

“The lawsuit — filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on behalf of 15 Medicaid enrollees — alleges that the Trump administration abused its executive power by granting a sweeping Medicaid waiver to Kentucky that does not promote the objectives of the program.

Medicaid statute doesn’t allow states to condition health benefits on employment, but the federal government can let states experiment with policies meant to further the program’s goals. In justifying work requirements, CMS cited studies finding there are health benefits associated with employment. However, critics said work requirements would limit access to care, making it harder for people to be healthy enough to work.”

The National Health Law Program (NHELP) is one of the participants in the suit – their summary of the lawsuit can be found here.

ANCOR will keep its members updated on developments regarding the lawsuit.