(CNN) The Supreme Court agreed Friday to review whether the Trump administration can allow states to impose work requirements in their Medicaid programs. The administration had asked the justices in July to reinstate its historic approvals of state work requirements waivers, which it argues may assist certain beneficiaries in transitioning to private policies and may lead to improved health, as well as help states conserve financial resources to provide coverage to others in need. Lower courts have voided the Department of Health and Human Services' approvals, saying Medicaid's main purpose is to provide health care coverage. Regardless of the Supreme Court's ultimate decision, work requirements are not expected to last long in the incoming Biden administration, which supports expanding access to coverage, not throwing up roadblocks to Medicaid enrollment. The National Health Law Program, one of the consumer advocacy groups that brought the original lawsuits, said it expects to prevail in the nation's highest court.

Source: The Nation December 04, 2020 22:07 UTC