How Will States Implement Medicaid Work Requirements?
Where to Listen
President Trump signed into law in July a budget reconciliation package that mandates all adults who are eligible for Medicaid through the ACA expansion meet federal work and reporting requirements. At a minimum, the 41 states (including D.C.) that have expanded Medicaid under the ACA will be required to verify that individuals are working or meet certain exemptions when they apply for or renew their Medicaid coverage.
Four experts, including two state Medicaid directors, joined Health Wonk Shop series moderator Larry Levitt in an hour-long discussion of how states will go about implementing the new Medicaid work requirements. During the discussion, panelists addressed important implementation questions and challenges that states will face in the coming months and years, including: How much will it cost states and the federal government to implement work requirements? Will states be able to meet the implementation deadline (on 12/31/2026)? How will states use or improve “data matching” to automate verification of work activities, hours, and exemptions? What are states watching out for in forthcoming federal guidance and what might be left to states’ discretion?
Moderator
Larry Levitt
Executive Vice President for Health Policy
Panelists
Caprice Knapp
Acting Director, Center for Medicaid & CHIP Services
Emma Sandoe
Medicaid Director, Oregon Health Authority
Jennifer Strohecker
Medicaid Director, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
Jennifer Tolbert
Director of State Health Policy and Data, Deputy Director Program on Medicaid & Uninsured
