With Montana’s Medicaid expansion program renewed, the conversation in the Legislature has shifted to work requirements. A bill would expand the number of people subject to those rules.
The bill would increase the maximum age for work requirements under Medicaid expansion from 55 to 62. Republican Sponsor Rep. Bill Mercer of Billings says it’s reasonable that the requirements are in line with the minimum age to receive Social Security benefits.
Opponents said that most people over the age of 55 would be exempt because of disabilities or chronic health conditions and that it wouldn’t be worth the additional cost to the state to process more verification paperwork.
They also worry that people who are exempt could lose coverage because they are unable to keep up with the required forms to verify an exemption.
Despite the work requirements being signed into law in 2019, the state has never implemented them because it couldn’t get permission from the federal government.
In a statement to MTPR, state health department spokesperson Jon Ebelt said staff have started drafting a new request.
Department staff told lawmakers during the bill’s hearing that the earliest work requirements could be approved and implemented would be early next year.
