"A New Year Plan = Get Involved!
Volume 14, No. 01
Jan. 12, 2018
BREAKING NEWS - Early Thursday morning, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services announced  new guidance  for states, like Wisconsin, seeking waiver approval to impose work requirements as a condition of Medicaid eligibility for adults without disabilities. The new guidance will allow states to deny benefits to adults unless they have jobs or participate in work-related activities. The  Washington Post  calls the guidance a "tectonic change for the Medicaid program."

In keeping with themes frequently repeated by the agency's director, Seema Verma, the guidelines inform states about permissible conditions for the approval of work requirements. In the agency's press release, Verma says, "Medicaid needs to be more flexible so that states can best address the needs of this population. Our fundamental goal is to make a positive and lasting difference in the health and wellness of our beneficiaries, and today’s announcement is a step in that direction." 

Opponents of work requirements and other eligibility restrictions, like drug testing, claim that conditions that exclude otherwise eligible applicants violate federal law because they run contrary to the law’s objective of providing health coverage for low-income individuals. Read our full response.
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Register Today: The Road to Reimbursements
Register today for the 11th Annual HealthWatch Wisconsin Conference:  The HealthCare Coverage Quest -  The Road to Reimbursements  - March 7 & 8, 2018! 

Journey to Madison   this coming March, to learn and exchange ideas with healthcare coverage advocates. Experts will host interactive sessions on the nuances and challenges facing BadgerCare Plus, Private Insurance, the Marketplace, and more. Learn innovative and creative strategies to help patients obtain and optimize health care coverage and reduce uncompensated care.

Investigate and explore   opportunities to help connect children to health insurance, or follow a conference track devoted to Medicaid and disability programs for adults and seniors.

Traverse the road to reimbursements.  Through all our discussions on the changing health care and coverage programs in Wisconsin and beyond, we’ll highlight the payor sources available to assist both consumers and their providers.

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