Federal Medicaid Work Rules Omit Homeless Individuals from Exemptions

Why it matters locally: The exclusion of homelessness from Medicaid work requirement exemptions could affect an estimated 9,678 homeless individuals in New Jersey who may rely on Medicaid for healthcare access.

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Federal policy outlining Medicaid work requirements does not include homelessness among its listed exemptions. Previously, proponents of Medicaid work requirements stated that vulnerable individuals would receive exemptions. However, the federal government's final list of exemptions does not account for homelessness. Izzy Kadrmas, a medical assistant at Partnership Health Center's Watershed Clinic in Missoula, Montana, has worked with individuals seeking healthcare. Tywon Pugh, for example, received blood testing from Kadrmas.