Washington, D.C., Receives Federal Waiver To Expand Medicaid Program to Childless Adults
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on March 8 announced that CMS has approved a waiver allowing Washington, D.C., to expand its Medicaid program to cover some low-income, childless adults, the Washington Post reports. Under the expansion, childless adults ages 50 to 64 who earn less 50% of the federal poverty level, or $4,430 for an individual, will be eligible for coverage (Washington Post, 3/10). The newly eligible beneficiaries will be added to an existing Medicaid managed care waiver program that provides primary care and a prescription drug benefit (HHS release, 3/8). The District will pay 30% of the expansion costs, and the federal government will cover the remainder. According to the Post, the waiver will allow D.C. health officials to provide coverage to people at an "age when they are likely to suffer illnesses but are not yet covered by Medicare." Dr. Ivan Walks, director of the D.C. Department of Health, said, "The life expectancy for African-American men in Washington is less than 60 years. Being able to intervene comprehensively with Medicaid coverage can allow us to really drive down some of the alarmingly high death rates." D.C. health officials expect to cover more than 1,200 additional adults with the program (Washington Post, 3/10).
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