Federal Medicaid Work Rules Omit Homeless Individuals from Exemptions

Why it matters locally: This federal policy could directly affect approximately 1,600 West Virginians experiencing homelessness, as they would not be automatically exempt from Medicaid work requirements under the new federal guidelines. The state's Bureau for Medical Services would need to navigate the implications of this policy for its Medicaid recipients.

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.