Indiana’s U.S. Senators Mike Braun and Todd Young were among Republicans recently introducing the Let States Innovate Under Medicaid Act.
The legislation would include “work or community engagement requirements” as an acceptable practice that furthers the objectives of the Medicaid program, thereby prohibiting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator from denying a 1115 waiver on the basis that work or community engagement requirements do not further the objectives of the Medicaid program.
Senator Young asserts: “Medicaid should ideally be available as a temporary option, with a goal of preparing individuals for a life of dignity in the workforce. Work and community engagement activities, such as those that Indiana previously had in place, are designed to improve quality of life over the long term and help individuals transition to full employment. CMS’s decision earlier this year to revoke Indiana’s ability to set these expectations for some Medicaid recipients treats work as a punishment and discourages efforts to transition to self-reliance. That’s why I joined my colleagues to introduce the Let States Innovate Under Medicaid Act to allow states the opportunity to innovate under the Medicaid program, with the objective of preparing individuals for a life of independence in the workforce.”
