Medicaid would start checking applicants' financial assets — not just their income — before approving coverage. Right now, most Medicaid enrollees who qualify based on income under the Affordable Care Act expansion aren't subject to asset tests. This bill would change that, requiring all states to run electronic asset verification on every applicant and recipient, not just seniors and people with disabilities. States that don't comply could face corrective action. The bill also requires CMS to track the savings from tighter eligibility checks and mandates regular public reporting on how many people pass or fail the new asset screening.
Congressional Summary
Safeguarding Medicaid ActThis bill requires states and territories to implement asset verification programs to determine an individual's Medicaid eligibility. Currently, states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are required to have asset verification programs to determine an individual's eligibility for Medicaid if the individual is age 65 or older, blind, or disabled. The bill applies this requirement to all states and territories and to all individuals seeking Medicaid eligibility. The bill also requires state Medicaid programs to implement resource tests to determine an individual's Medicaid eligibility (currently, such tests are prohibited except for those age 65 or older or who are blind or disabled). The resource test must conform with the resource test for determining an individual's eligibility for Supplemental Security Income, unless the state specifies a different threshold.The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must create a system to track any federal savings due to implementation of the required asset verification programs. States that do not comply with federal requirements regarding Medicaid eligibility determinations must submit corrective action plans to the CMS.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2025-03-14
- Date Added
- 2026-03-30