How Will States Implement Medicaid Work Requirements?

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.

At 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 11, four experts, including two state Medicaid directors, will join 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 will consider 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

Medicaid Counselor to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

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