Healthcare (Medicare)

HB 491 prepares North Carolina's Medicaid program to implement work requirements if authorized by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It requires the state's Division of Health Benefits to negotiate with CMS, notify oversight committees within 30 days of starting talks, and submit detailed reports after CMS approves any work requirements plan. The bill does not enact work requirements itself but establishes procedures for future implementation, including timelines for reporting funding needs. This would directly affect current Medicaid recipients if CMS approves work requirements, though the bill is procedural and conditional on federal approval. The legislation is currently in committee review and has not yet become law.