The Trump administration announced restrictions on Medicaid waivers that previously allowed states to maintain children's coverage beyond the federally mandated 12-month period. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) indicated a shift away from extending coverage limits, stating that current initiatives will not be extended nor new waivers approved. This decision coincided with significant Medicaid cuts implemented by Trump. Senators expressed concerns, emphasizing that these changes hinder Americans' access to healthcare. Oregon had previously pioneered a federal approval for continuous Medicaid coverage for young children.
The Trump administration on Thursday said it will restrict waivers that have allowed states to keep kids enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program beyond the 12-month period of continuous coverage required under federal law.
CMS will allow currently approved initiatives to run out their course but does not anticipate extending them nor approving new waivers.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) called the CMS announcement a 'terrible development' and 'yet one more awful example of the Trump administration's obsession with making it as hard as possible for Americans to access the healthcare they are eligible for.'
In 2022, Oregon became the first state in the nation to receive federal approval to provide children with continuous Medicaid coverage from birth up to age 6 through a Section 1115 waiver.
#medicaid #childrens-health-insurance-program #healthcare-policy #trump-administration #social-safety-net
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