CMS Administrator Seema Verma revealed her vision for Medicaid this week to the National Association of Medicaid Directors. As part of her remarks to the NAMD, which represents state health leaders, she indicated the federal government would support states' proposals to impose work or community engagement requirements to their Medicaid programs, according to The New York Times.
CMS said Ms. Verma stressed her agency is committed to efforts that help working-age, able-bodied citizens on Medicaid rise out of poverty.
"These are individuals who are physically capable of being actively engaged in their communities, whether it be through working, volunteering, going to school or obtaining job training," Ms. Verma said, according to NYT. "Let me be clear to everyone in this room: We will approve proposals that promote community engagement activities."
The report states she also criticized the former administration and the ACA's Medicaid expansion, saying, "The thought that a program designed for our most vulnerable citizens should be used as a vehicle to serve working age, able-bodied adults does not make sense."
Overall, her comments prompted disagreement from the NAMD, which argued against Ms. Verma's assertion that Medicaid shouldn't serve working-age, able-bodied adults, according to the report.
Read the full NYT report here.
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