澳彩开奖

Yesterday鈥檚 rulings are the result of two lawsuits 鈥� Gresham v. Azar in Arkansas and Stewart v. Azar in Kentucky 鈥� that were filed by the 澳彩开奖 and its co-counsel. The rulings mean that Kentucky and Arkansas cannot move forward with their Medicaid waiver projects.

This also marks the second time the court has vacated the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services鈥� approval of the Kentucky project.

鈥淭he court reaffirmed the rights of financially insecure individuals to access health care, and concluded once again, that these 鈥榳aivers鈥� are arbitrary and capricious,鈥� said Samuel Brooke, deputy legal director for the 澳彩开奖. 鈥淭he ruling is a significant rebuff of the Trump administration鈥檚 cruel attempts to turn Medicaid, a program designed to ensure access to health care, into a work program.鈥�

Nearly 100,000 residents in Kentucky were likely to lose health care coverage because of these radical, proposed changes to Medicaid, according to the state鈥檚 own data. The Medicaid waiver would have required people to comply with work and premium mandates, along with penalties for failing to meet administrative deadlines. It would have also eliminated some previously covered benefits.

In Arkansas, more than 18,000 people have already been cut from health care services under that state鈥檚 Medicaid waiver.

The 澳彩开奖 and the are co-counsel in both the Kentucky and Arkansas cases. The Kentucky Equal Justice Center is representing people in Kentucky who would be harmed by that state鈥檚 project. Legal Aid of Arkansas is representing people who have been harmed by the waiver in that state. The law firm of Jenner & Block is working with the National Health Law Program.

鈥淲e are gratified by the court鈥檚 rulings today,鈥� National Health Law Program Legal Director Jane Perkins said. 鈥淭hey mean that low-income people in Kentucky and Arkansas will maintain their health insurance coverage 鈥� coverage that enables them to live, work, and participate as fully as they can in their communities.

鈥淐overage matters, plain and simple,鈥� Perkins said. 鈥淭he court鈥檚 decision is clear:聽Federal agencies must engage in reasoned decision making. That did not happen here.聽Rather than consider the Medicaid Act鈥檚 aim of furnishing medical assistance, (Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II) doubled down on his consideration of other aims for Medicaid 鈥� including the administration鈥檚 stated aim of exploding the (Affordable Care Act鈥檚) Medicaid expansion.鈥�

Kentucky Equal Justice Center Executive Director also welcomed the rulings.

鈥淐onditioning access to Medicaid on work requirements has always been about blocking low-income individuals and families, many of whom are working numerous jobs or caring for sick family members, from accessing Medicaid,鈥� Seckel said. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 decision reaffirms congressional intent of Medicaid and will save more than 100,000 Kentuckians from losing their vital access to Medicaid.鈥�

Legal Aid of Arkansas Attorney said: 鈥淭his is a great day. Everyone on can go to bed tonight knowing that tomorrow they鈥檒l be able get the health care they need to work and live a full life.鈥�