CMS rejected Kansas' proposal to cap Medicaid benefits to three years in a lifetime, according to The Hill.
The move comes as CMS has approved work requirements for Medicaid programs in various states. The decision to reject lifetime caps indicates the measure may be too hardlined for CMS, according to the report.
"We have determined that we will not approve Kansas' recent request to place a lifetime limit on Medicaid benefits for some beneficiaries," CMS Administrator Seema Verma said May 7 during a speech at an American Hospital Association meeting. "We seek to create a pathway out of poverty, but we also understand that people's circumstances change, and we must ensure that our programs are sustainable and available to them when they need and qualify for them."
Due to an internal disagreement over the lifetime benefit cap, CMS abruptly canceled a May 1 appearance that was set to reject Kansas' waiver.