All over the Map: A Systematic Literature Review and State Policy Scan of Medicaid Buy-In Programs for Working Individuals with Disabilities

While supports for people with disabilities have increased, significant healthcare and financial barriers persist. State-administered Medicaid Buy-In programs for working people with disabilities, distinct from broader buy-in discussions that have emerged as some states consider expanding access to health insurance, are intended to incentivize employment and protect against a loss of Long-Term Services and Supports. Loss of these services would be detrimental to a person’s ability to access daily living and workforce participation supporting services. This paper explores identified drivers of and barriers to participation, outcomes, and the current state of programs that are currently in place. Authors conducted a systematic literature search to identify evidence published in peer-review journals. Additionally, a policy scan using information from government sources for the 45 state-administered buy-in programs was completed. The results indicate that state Medicaid Buy-In programs vary dramatically in their construction and presentation, with eligibility and administration information or lack thereof having the potential to significantly affect a person’s decision making around benefit enrollment and employment. Findings are discussed in the context of additional recent state and federal policy efforts to improve outcomes around employment, income, and asset generation for people with disabilities.