Gov. Josh Shapiro is again asking the legislature to fund a trial run of extra Medicaid benefits, saying that the Trump administration will honor a Biden-era approval despite Republicans’ desire to clamp down on Medicaid spending.
The pilot program would fund medication for those leaving prison, housing assistance for the homeless, and specialized meal delivery for diet-sensitive patients. The state’s share of the cost would be $2.8 million, with federal funds roughly tripling that amount.
The continuous eligibility waiver was approved as an add-on to a previous waiver that expires in the fall of 2027. In a letter to states last summer, Trump’s CMS said that it would not be approving any new continuous eligibility waivers, or extending existing ones.