Biden administration revokes permission for Ohio Medicaid work requirements

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told the Ohio Department of Medicaid this week that it cannot proceed with its plans to require some people on the health coverage program to work to keep their coverage (Source: “Biden administration nixes Ohio’s Medicaid work requirements,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, Aug. 11).

In a 23-page letter, sent to the state on Tuesday, CMS says that work requirements do not “ promote the statutory objectives of Medicaid” because they would likely result in thousands of people losing coverage.

This is a change from the administration of former President Donald Trump, which had approved the state’s work requirements program in 2019. The Ohio Department of Medicaid was directed to submit a work requirement program by the Ohio General Assembly in the 2017 budget bill.

Work requirements were supposed to begin Jan. 1, but were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.