CMS Administrator Seema Verma will recuse herself from an agency decision on whether Kentucky can add a work requirement to its Medicaid expansion, reports Kaiser Health News.
Here are three things to know.
1. Kentucky expanded Medicaid under the ACA in 2014 and is proposing changes to the program. As part of the changes, nondisabled Medicaid beneficiaries could only receive health coverage if they work or do community service, according to the report. Kentucky also seeks to require Medicaid beneficiaries to pay monthly premiums of $1 to $37.50, the report states.
2. Kentucky seeks a waiver from CMS for its Medicaid expansion plan. However, Ms. Verma said she will recuse herself from the decision due to conflict of interest, according to the report. This conflict of interest stems from the fact she assisted in drafting the state's Medicaid reform plan in 2016 via her health consulting business, the report states.
3. CMS is expected to approve Kentucky's waiver with a work requirement in some shape or form, according to the report.