Former President Clinton signed into law the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (TWWIIA). There were four important features to TWWIIA, one of them being health insurance improvements.

With the aid of the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, Nevada has begun the process of developing a Medicaid Buy-In Program. This program is intended to offer Medicaid coverage to working, or those wishing to return to work, individuals who meet the federal or state definition of disability and have incomes higher than what is allowed under traditional Medicaid eligibility. It is a goal that medical insurance is available to working people with disabilities through payment of a premium or other cost sharing method.

Medicaid Infrastructure Grant Program Update

The “Ticket to Work”/Medicaid Infrastructure Grant staff has been very busy for the past several months. Staff gathered information from both community meetings held throughout the state in October of 2001. Approximately 11,900 benefits surveys were sent out in October as well with a nearly 20% return.

Our Advisory Group used this information to make recommendations for the design of a Medicaid health care coverage program for individuals with disabilities in or wishing to re-enter the workforce. The TWWIIA-MIG Advisory Group completed their design recommendations at their January 17 meeting. The Advisory Group has recommended the name of this proposed program be "Health Insurance for Work Advancement" or the acronym HIWA (pronounced "Highway") for short.

Current Events.....

Advisory Group Meetings