Safeguarding Medicaid Act

The Safeguarding Medicaid Act (S 1082) requires all Medicaid applicants and recipients in every state and territory to undergo an asset test, removing previous exemptions for people who are aged, blind, or disabled. It sets the resource limit for eligibility at the same level used for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, meaning individuals with assets above this threshold would be ineligible for Medicaid. The bill also mandates states to implement electronic asset verification systems within one year of enactment and report annually on the number of asset checks conducted during eligibility renewals and new applications. This affects all Medicaid applicants and recipients nationwide, with states required to track and report savings from these verification efforts to the federal government.