Pending resolution of federal lawsuit, FSSA will temporarily suspend Gateway to Work reporting requirements

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration announced today that it will temporarily suspend the reporting requirements of the Gateway to Work program due to a pending legal challenge.

Last month, the lawsuit Rose v. Azar was filed in federal court challenging Gateway to Work along with several other components of the Healthy Indiana Plan that have been in operation for several years –potentially jeopardizing the HIP program as a whole.

Gateway to Work is a part of the Healthy Indiana Plan that helps connect HIP members with job training, education or help finding the right job or volunteer activity. Some HIP members are required to participate, and those not in compliance had been at risk of potential benefit suspensions starting in January.

To help ensure the continued operation of HIP, FSSA will temporarily suspend enforcement of the provision whereby some members could have their benefits suspended beginning in January for not meeting their annual Gateway to Work requirement. FSSA is doing so to allow time for the Rose lawsuit to be resolved and so that the court can address the challenge to HIP after similar legal challenges to programs like Gateway to Work in other states have worked their way through the appeals process.

“We remain committed to operating the Gateway to Work program and to continuing to build on the early successes of the program, through which HIP members are reporting successful engagements in their workplaces, schools and communities,” Indiana Medicaid Director Allison Taylor said.

FSSA will continue to encourage HIP members to report their activities to the state or their health plan so they can be connected to resources such as the state’s Next Level Jobs program, Ivy Tech, WorkOne and local job training and advancement programs. HIP members will still have a Gateway to Work status of “exempt,” “reporting met” or “reporting,” and be referred to opportunities to work, learn and serve in their communities. However, no benefit suspensions will be considered until after Rose v. Azar is resolved. Before the program is reinitiated, participating members would receive substantial advance notice regarding the timeline.

The state also continues to seek approval for the HIP Workforce Bridge program to help support the transition for any members moving to employer insurance or other health coverage.