Improving Medicaid Buy-In Programs for Working Individuals with Disabilities

Medicaid is an important source of health insurance for low-income individuals with disabilities. For some individuals with disabilities, services offered under Medicaid, such as assistance with daily living activities, allow them to work. However, even minor increases in income or assets can result in a loss of Medicaid and as a result, individuals may pass up promotions, limit the hours worked each week, or forgo work entirely to ensure their incomes do not surpass program eligibility limits.

To address this problem, Congress enacted legislation to allow states to permit working persons with disabilities to buy-in to the Medicaid program. Forty-five states have established Medicaid buy-in programs, yet many states do not take advantage of the significant flexibility available to them.

Join the Bipartisan Policy Center on September 22 as we discuss the history and current state of Medicaid buy-in programs for working individuals with disabilities, and how federal policymakers could improve Medicaid buy-in programs to create greater opportunities for people with disabilities who choose to work.

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Featured Participants

Keynote remarks by:

Henry Claypool
Policy Director, Community Living Policy Center; Consultant, Bipartisan Policy Center

Kathy Hempstead
Senior Policy Adviser, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Annette Shea
Former Policy and Programs Specialist, HHS; CEO, Annette Shea Consulting
View the Presentation Slides on Medicaid Buy-In for Workers with Disabilities

Additional participants to be announced

In light of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, BPC events have shifted to all remote formats, such as video teleconferences or calls.