As a result, they were reluctant to enter into the workforce and purposely kept their incomes under the cap to remain eligible for Medicaid. It gives states the option to allow eligible adults to enter the workforce and still obtain the health care they need. Children with disabilities and their families face a similar situation. In a number of cases, parents are forced to seek more drastic action to avoid debt. Some quit their jobs to become Medicaid-eligible again.
Some couples divorce to keep their incomes low.
It will allow children who qualify to be covered by Medicaid even if their parents have private insurance and are not eligible for the program under current law. In 2000, the year in which the FOA was first introduced, more than 75 Senators and 140 Representatives cosponsored the bill, but the 106th Congress was unable to complete action on it before adjournment. The FOA is not mandatory. Each state will have the option to decide whether or not to implement a buy-in program. If a state chooses to participate, a family could decide whether or not to buy into Medicaid for their child with a disability.