New KFF Report on Work Requirements’ Effect on Older Non-Elderly Medicaid Adults with Disabilities

On March 30, 2018, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released a report titled How Might Older Nonelderly Medicaid Adults with Disabilities Be Affected By Work Requirements in Section 1115 Waivers?. Click here to access the full report, which examines the implications of work requirements for Medicaid adults ages 50 to 64. The report also provides national and state level estimates of these individuals’ disability, SSI, and work status. We have summarized key findings below for your convenience.

Key Findings:

• Of the 8.7 million older nonelderly Medicaid adults, nearly half (48%) report having a disability according to the ACS definition. 
• Over half (53%) of older nonelderly Medicaid adults with a disability do not receive SSI cash assistance; these adults could be subject to a Medicaid work requirement, despite experiencing serious difficulty in at least one ACS functional area.
• Eight of the 10 states with approved or pending Medicaid work requirement waivers as of March, 2018, would apply those requirements to all or most older nonelderly Medicaid adults.
• In the eight states that would apply Medicaid work requirements to all or most older nonelderly adults, substantial shares of these adults have a disability but do not receive SSI, making them subject to the work requirement unless they are otherwise exempt.
• Just over 1 in 10 (13%) older nonelderly Medicaid adults with disabilities but not SSI are working 20 or more hours per week.