The commissioner for the State Department of Medicaid Services says targeted information about recent Medicaid changes will be coming to recipients in the next month or so.
Stephen Miller appeared before members of the House Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services Wednesday. “Clearly the need to communicate out these changes and who it impacts. Yes, that has to happen and it will happen,” said Miller.
Those changes, granted through a federal Medicaid waiver, require able bodied recipients to work or volunteer to keep their benefits. It also requires these persons to pay small monthly premiums or get locked out of their health benefits. Commissioner Miller maintains the changes will result in $300 million in state savings over five years.
During the review, Louisville Representative Joni Jenkins expressed concern the changes mean 20,000 fewer traditionally Medicaid eligible Kentuckians. “I think that’s concerning for legislators that we’re going to suddenly start talking about that population of folks that would fall out of compliance,” noted Jenkins.
Jenkins says that could include children, older adults, and those with disabilities. Medicaid Services Commissioner Stephen Miller added that many of the people on the waiting list have never been evaluated and may not meet eligibility standards.
© 2018 WEKU
This story has been updated.
