Lang
4/16/25
Governor Kim Reynolds has directed Iowa Health and Human Services to submit a waiver to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to establish work requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients.
The waiver reflects pending Iowa House and Senate legislation, which includes numerous exemptions including:
- A person under 19 years old
- A person who is over 64 years old
- A person who is disabled
- A person who is medically frail or medically exempt under Medicaid
- A caretaker of a dependent child under six years old
- A woman with a high-risk pregnancy
- A person receiving unemployment benefits
- A person participating in substance use disorder treatment
Reynold’s office says Iowans who do not meet the new requirements will be given time to do so, and those who choose not to will no longer be eligible for Medicaid coverage.
Pursuant to CMS requirements, Iowa HHS will launch a 30-day public comment period and host two public hearings to gather input from Iowans. A news release from the governor’s office does not list when or where those public hearings will take place.