May 17, 2018 - SACRAMENTO – Senate Bill 1108, which prohibits work requirements as a condition of Medi-Cal eligibility, will be voted on the State Senate Floor on Thursday, March 17.
Authored by Senator Ed Hernandez, O.D. (D-West Covina), SB 1108 was introduced after the Trump Administration invited states to revise their Medicaid programs to include punitive policies that will lead to fewer people with health insurance. This bill ensures that California stands firmly against this concept, and continues to prioritize access to health care for some of our lowest-income residents.
On January 11, 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a State Medicaid Director Letter providing guidance on waiver proposals for states to implement work requirements for Medicaid recipients.
States instituting work requirements in Medicaid may bring more harm to individuals, including reducing low-income families’ access to care, worsening health outcomes, and making it more difficult for them to maintain health care coverage.
SB 1108 prohibits the Department of Health Care Services from seeking or obtaining a Medicaid demonstration project or waiver requiring:
- Work or community engagement activities as a condition of Medi-Cal eligibility;
- Waiting periods, time limits or coverage lockouts prior to or subsequent to the determination of Medi-Cal eligibility or coverage;
- Any other condition of Medi-Cal eligibility or coverage not authorized by state law or federal statute or regulation.
Read the SB 1108 bill language.
Read the SB 1108 fact sheet.
Source: Senator Ed Hernandez
Related Information: California State Senator Announces Bill Banning Medicaid Work Requirements in California Approved by Policy Committee
