Officials outline plan to begin Medicaid reentry payments for incarcerated Vermonters Jan. 1, 2026

Agency of Human Services officials told the House Corrections and Institutions Committee on April 16 that Vermont is preparing to begin Medicaid reimbursement for health care provided to eligible sentenced (adjudicated) individuals during the 90 days before release, with a target launch date of Jan. 1, 2026.

Ashley Berliner, director of Medicaid policy at the Agency of Human Services and the state official overseeing the Global Commitment 1115 demonstration, told the committee the state received federal reentry‑waiver authority in July 2024 and is “aiming to launch the first Medicaid dollars flowing through correctional facilities on 01/01/2026.” She described the project as “an enormous undertaking” that requires changes to eligibility and claims systems and new case management workflows.

Under the reentry model discussed, Medicaid reimbursement will apply to those who are sentenced (adjudicated);…