As Reported by the Senate Medicaid Committee
136th General Assembly
Regular Session S. C. R. No. 5
2025-2026
Senator Koehler
Cosponsors: Senators Schaffer, Lang, Brenner, Huffman, Wilson, Johnson,
Romanchuk
A C O N C U R R E N T R E S O L U T I O N
To urge the President of the United States to support the
Ohio Department of Medicaid's request to implement
work requirements for certain Medicaid recipients.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO (THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING):
WHEREAS, H.B. 49 of the 132nd General Assembly required the
Medicaid Director to seek approval from the United States
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to impose work
requirements for certain Medicaid recipients; and
WHEREAS, The Ohio Department of Medicaid and Medicaid
Director submitted to CMS in April 2018 a "Group VIII Work
Requirement and Community Engagement 1115 Demonstration Waiver
Application" to authorize the state to require all new adult
expansion group beneficiaries, ages 19 through 49, with certain
exemptions, to participate in and timely report 80 hours per
month of qualifying community engagement activities, such as
employment, education, or job skills training, as a condition of
continued Medicaid eligibility; and
WHEREAS, CMS approved the request in March 2019, but before
the Section 1115 demonstration waiver could be implemented, CMS
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18 S. C. R. No. 5 Page 2
As Reported by the Senate Medicaid Committee
withdrew its approval in August 2021; and
WHEREAS, H.B 33 of the 135th General Assembly requires the
Medicaid Director, between February 1, 2025, and March 1, 2025,
to apply to CMS for a new approval to implement work
requirements for the Medicaid expansion eligibility group; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Medicaid and Medicaid Director
recently published a Public Notice and Request for Comment on a
"Group VIII 1115 Demonstration Waiver Application" intended for
submission to CMS in February 2025; and
WHEREAS, Governor Mike DeWine has stated that implementing
Medicaid work requirements is consistent with the state's goal
to empower all people to reach their full potential and its
responsibility to ensure that as many Ohioans as possible are on
a pathway to financial independence; and
WHEREAS, According to the Department of Medicaid, in
addition to promoting economic stability and financial
independence, implementing Medicaid work requirements will
improve health outcomes by encouraging individuals to be engaged
with their health and health care; and
WHEREAS, Adding work requirements to the Medicaid program
would ensure that Medicaid recipients continue to maintain
existing employable skills or develop and improve employable
skills; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 136th General
Assembly of the State of Ohio, urge the President of the United
States to support the Department of Medicaid's request to impose
work requirements for certain Medicaid recipients; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly
authenticated copies of this resolution to the President of the
United States, the Administrator of CMS, the members of the Ohio
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49 S. C. R. No. 5 Page 3
As Reported by the Senate Medicaid Committee
Congressional delegation, and the news media of Ohio. 50