The Trump administration is taking a new step forward on its plan to impose work requirements in Kentucky’s Medicaid program, despite a federal judge blocking the move last month.
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said Wednesday that it is going to reopen a new 30-day comment period on Kentucky’s plan. The move could allow the administration to show that it is giving further consideration to concerns about the proposal, after the judge ruled that officials did not give adequate consideration to the coverage losses that could result.
Work requirements for Medicaid are a top priority of the Trump administration, as well as CMS Administrator Seema Verma, and the move shows that officials are trying to find a way forward, rather than backing down in the face of the judge’s ruling.
“CMS is planning to open a new 30-day federal public comment period on the KY HEALTH demonstration to better inform any future decision on the demonstration that was remanded back to the Department for further review,” a CMS spokesperson said.
