State leadership gives mixed reviews for federal change to Medicaid work requirement

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he’s disappointed in the Biden administration’s reversal in approving a work requirement waiver for Medicaid recipients.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ended a Trump-era policy that permitted the state to require work or “community engagement activities” as a condition of Medicaid eligibility, according to a letter sent to the Ohio Department of Medicaid’s director, Maureen Corcoran.

DeWine called the decision short-sighted and “contrary to our statewide effort to improve public health” in a statement on Wednesday.

“By requiring an individual to work, learn new job skills or be involved in a recovery program, Ohioans would be providing critical assistance to individuals when they needed it while laying hte groundwork for their success in the future,” DeWine’s statement read.

Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown praised the decision, and said in a statement that “burdensome work requirements create a barrier to health care for those who need it most, especially those who suffer with addiction.”