Many people with disabilities rely on Medicaid for the services that help them live and participate fully in their communities. H.R.1 cuts almost $1 trillion from Medicaid and imposes significant new administrative requirements. These new requirements are set to impact millions of people, including people with disabilities, who rely on Medicaid for their healthcare and supportive services. In this blog, we focus on the protections provided through federal disability rights laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and how they impact H.R.1 implementation at the state level. CSH partnered with the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law to release a new guide that outlines:
- The requirements states must follow to comply with federal disability rights laws as they design and implement new systems under H.R.1.
- How the field can influence state implementation of H.R.1. to protect Medicaid coverage for people with disabilities.
States play the leading role in implementing changes to their Medicaid programs, since Medicaid is a joint state and federal program. States are already tackling significant implementation challenges including connecting state data systems around work and eligibility determinations, setting up a system to verify addresses for all Medicaid beneficiaries, ensuring adequate staffing to address more frequent eligibility determinations, and budgeting with decreased revenue.
As states navigate these changes, they must uphold federal disability rights laws to guarantee fair access and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. This new guide provides a clear roadmap: it explains the legal requirements states must follow and offers practical strategies for advocates to help shape implementation and safeguard Medicaid coverage for those who need it most.
