By: dfitzgerald
Executive Summary
In comments to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), the National Health Law Program urges the Secretary to reject Mississippi’ Sec. 1115 Medicaid waiver project, so-called “Medicaid Workforce Training Initiative.” The state’s waiver scheme imposes onerous work requirements, which stands “Medicaid’s purpose on its head by creating barriers to coverage and the pathway to health that the coverage represents.” This punitive policy would cover fewer people and increase the ranks of the uninsured. The National Health Law Program argues that Mississippi’s program would, by design, leave individuals without access to Medicaid, or any affordable coverage option. Moreover, as Mississippi has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, the population most affected by the work requirements would be parents and caretakers.
