Medicaid Work Requirements Proceed to Jan. 1 Despite Court Ruling, Pushback
In a roundup of HR 1 work requirement developments, Becker's Payer Issues reports that the Medicaid community engagement mandate remains on track to begin Jan. 1 despite legal and political challenges. A Massachusetts federal judge ruled Oct. 29 that CMS unlawfully narrowed the "medically frail" exemption definition, but plaintiff states get only a six-month grace period before penalties apply, and the Jan. 1 start date stands. Five Democratic governors asked HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Oct. 1 to delay implementation, and a separate Maryland lawsuit over the "medically frail" provision is still pending. States that expanded Medicaid or hold similar waivers must implement 80-hour-per-month community engagement rules and six-month redeterminations for affected beneficiaries, with some states like Nebraska already implementing early and Georgia's Pathways waiver expiring at year's end.