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House panel advances bill to adopt federal Medicaid community engagement requirements
Summary
The House Health and Welfare Committee voted to send House Bill 913 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; the bill would implement federal "community engagement" requirements for able-bodied adults enrolled through Medicaid expansion and set a redetermination timeline intended to limit coverage gaps.
The House Health and Welfare Committee advanced House Bill 913 on a voice vote, moving the measure to the full House with a due-pass recommendation.
Representative John Bandarata, the bill sponsor, said HB 913 adopts the federal community engagement standards for able-bodied adults covered by Medicaid expansion and would require a redetermination process that begins after the bill becomes effective. "It's not really a repeal. This program stays in, but we have then determined who is eligible and who's not based on the new federal requirements that are out there," Bandarata said.
Members pressed the sponsor on implementation details, including whether the bill's phrase "no person shall be enrolled" accommodates people with disabilities. The vice chair asked whether certain disabilities would be carved out; Bandarata said he believes exceptions exist under the federal language and pledged to provide the precise federal text when the bill reaches the floor.
Committee members also questioned the department's capacity to conduct redeterminations. Bandarata said the department has budgeted for the work and described a phased monthly process for reviewing cases; he estimated implementation costs at about $15,000 per month, contrasting that to a prior redetermination effort the department ran at about $30,000 per month.
Opponents warned of coverage losses and strain on health providers. Representative Veil said the bill "is really designed to maximize the number of people who trip up and don't meet the paperwork requirements," and warned that between one-third and one-half of the harms associated with a full repeal could follow, including uninsured patients appearing in hospitals. Representative Kaler and others also raised concerns about potential disenrollments, with estimates in the discussion ranging from about 15,000–20,000 to larger figures mentioned in committee remarks.
Bandarata emphasized the bill's timing and administrative approach as safeguards, proposing a July effective date and a December target so that people determined ineligible earlier would retain coverage through the end of the year to correct paperwork or meet requirements. The committee voted by voice and the vice chair reported two members requested to be recorded; the motion carried and HB 913 was advanced to the House floor.
