Urge Presidential support for Medicaid work requirements

(136th General Assembly)

(Senate
Concurrent Resolution Number 5)

A concurrent resolution

To urge the President of the
United States to support the Ohio Department of Medicaid's request to
implement work requirements for certain Medicaid recipients.

Be it resolved by the Senate of
the State of Ohio (The House of Representatives concurring):

WHEREAS,
H.B. 49 of the 132nd General Assembly required the Medicaid Director
to seek approval from the United States Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services (CMS) to impose work requirements for certain
Medicaid recipients; and

WHEREAS,
The Ohio Department of Medicaid and Medicaid Director submitted to
CMS in April 2018 a "Group VIII Work Requirement and Community
Engagement 1115 Demonstration Waiver Application" to authorize
the state to require all new adult expansion group beneficiaries,
ages 19 through 49, with certain exemptions, to participate in and
timely report 80 hours per month of qualifying community engagement
activities, such as employment, education, or job skills training, as
a condition of continued Medicaid eligibility; and

WHEREAS,
CMS approved the request in March 2019, but before the Section 1115
demonstration waiver could be implemented, CMS withdrew its approval
in August 2021; and

WHEREAS,
H.B 33 of the 135th General Assembly requires the Medicaid Director,
between February 1, 2025, and March 1, 2025, to apply to CMS for a
new approval to implement work requirements for the Medicaid
expansion eligibility group; and

WHEREAS,
The Department of Medicaid and Medicaid Director recently published a
Public Notice and Request for Comment on a "Group VIII 1115
Demonstration Waiver Application" intended for submission to CMS
in February 2025; and

WHEREAS,
Governor Mike DeWine has stated that implementing Medicaid work
requirements is consistent with the state's goal to empower all
people to reach their full potential and its responsibility to ensure
that as many Ohioans as possible are on a pathway to financial
independence; and

WHEREAS,
According to the Department of Medicaid, in addition to promoting
economic stability and financial independence, implementing Medicaid
work requirements will improve health outcomes by encouraging
individuals to be engaged with their health and health care; and

WHEREAS,
Adding work requirements to the Medicaid program would ensure that
Medicaid recipients continue to maintain existing employable skills
or develop and improve employable skills; now therefore be it

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, urge the President of the United States to support the
Department of Medicaid's request to impose work requirements for
certain Medicaid recipients; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly authenticated copies of
this resolution to the President of the United States, the
Administrator of CMS, the members of the Ohio Congressional
delegation, and the news media of Ohio.

Speaker __________________
of the House of Representatives.

President
__________________ of the Senate.

Adopted _____________________, 20____