Senate Democrats urge HHS to reject certain Medicaid waiver requirements

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and 28 other Senate Democrats yesterday urged Acting Health and Human Services Secretary Eric Hargan to reject Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waivers that would “obstruct access to health care in violation of statutory limits and longstanding congressional intent.” The senators said that “harmful ideological policies such as work requirements, mandatory drug testing, time limits, onerous cost-sharing and the like undercut and exceed the statutory authority provided to the Secretary under Section 1115 and contravene longstanding congressional intent.” The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last week issued guidance for states proposing demonstration projects that require or encourage working-aged Medicaid beneficiaries who are not pregnant or disabled to participate in work or other “community engagement” activities, and approved the first such waiver in Kentucky.