Ms. Alker’s enthusiasm, though, was tempered because Ms. Verma did not also reject Kansas’ effort to place work requirements on some adult enrollees. That decision is still pending.
CMS has approved work requirements for adults in four states – the latest, New Hampshire, winning approval May 7. The other states are Kentucky, Indiana, and Arkansas.
All these states expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to cover everyone with incomes of more than 138% of the federal poverty level ($16,753 for an individual). The work requirements would apply only to adults added through that ACA expansion.
Kansas and a handful of states, including Alabama and Mississippi – which did not expand the program – want to add the work requirement for some of their adult enrollees, many of whom have incomes well below the poverty level. In Kansas, an individual qualifying for Medicaid can earn no more than $4,600.