- Under Trump, States May Demand Work for Medicaid AP by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar—Work requirements for Medicaid could lead to major changes in the social safety net under President Donald Trump. It sounds like a simple question: Should adults who are able to work be required to do so to get taxpayer provided health insurance? The Health and Human Services department under Secretary Tom Price has already notified governors it stands ready to approve state waivers for "meritorious" programs that encourage work. Yet a surprising number of working-age adults with Medicaid are already employed. Most who are not working report reasons such as illness, caring for a family member, or going to school.
- States May End Coverage for Kids As Federal Funds Dry Up Modern Healthcare by Virgil Dickson—Several states may soon have to suspend programs that provide healthcare coverage for children unless Congress reauthorizes funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), according to a government agency. Arizona, California, Minnesota, North Carolina and the District of Columbia will run out of CHIP funding by December 2017 unless Congress approves additional funds for the program, according to a report by the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) discussed during a Thursday panel meeting.
- Wisconsin Medicaid Proposal Includes Drug Tests, Premiums Modern Healthcare by Shelby Livingston—Wisconsin on Monday unveiled plans to overhaul Medicaid by requiring members to pay insurance premiums and undergo a drug screening to participate in the program. The state's Department of Health Services said it will submit a waiver request to the the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on May 26, following public comment. The proposal looks a lot like the one used in Indiana's Medicaid expansion known as Healthy Indiana 2.0, which is facing renewed scrutiny following reports that the state used misleading and inaccurate information to justify an extension.