Understanding Medicaid Buy-in: A Tool to Advance Employment for People with Disabilities

This document was initially distributed through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) listserve. LEAD Center worked with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and ACL on this document.

ACL, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) are releasing a new “question and answer” document to help grantees, stakeholders, and self-advocates better understand the “Medicaid buy-in” program.

Work is about more than a paycheck. It can offer a sense of purpose, community, and belonging. Unfortunately, people with disabilities often face barriers to employment and some even choose to suppress their income to gain or maintain access to critical community services. Medicaid Buy-In is an optional Medicaid eligibility group which allows workers with disabilities with income above traditional limits to access essential Medicaid community-based services.

The Q&A is being released as the country celebrates the 29th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this week and reflects ACL’s ongoing commitment to advance policies and programs that promote and support successful employment outcomes for people with disabilities.