The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reapproved Kentucky’s Section 1115 waiver that includes work requirements for certain adult Medicaid beneficiaries.
The Kentucky HEALTH waiver originally was approved in January, but that approval was vacated by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In Stewart v. Azar, the court concluded that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) failed to adequately assess Kentucky HEALTH’s impact on Medicaid’s core objective: to provide health care coverage for beneficiaries. The judge remanded the matter to HHS to consider whether Kentucky HEALTH promotes the intent of the Medicaid statute.
In its reapproval, CMS asserts that the work requirements promote the objectives of the Medicaid program.
Since its initial approval of Kentucky HEALTH, the department has approved similar work requirements in Arkansas, Indiana, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin.
Contact Senior Director of Policy Erin O’Malley at eomalley@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.
