Comment on CMS-2026-2047-0002

ADD I am the parent and full-time caregiver of two adult children with significant developmental disabilities, including autism and intellectual disabilities. I also advocate for many other families in the disability community. While I understand the importance of program integrity, I am deeply concerned that additional reporting and paperwork requirements will cause eligible people to lose Medicaidnot because they no longer qualify, but because they cannot successfully navigate the administrative process. Many individuals with disabilities are already exempt from work requirements, yet proving that exemption often requires repeated forms, documentation, and deadlines. Families like mine already spend countless hours coordinating medical care, therapies, medications, waiver services, specialists, school transitions, and other essential supports. Adding more administrative burdens increases the risk that vulnerable people will lose the healthcare they depend on due to paperwork errors or missed notices. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Medicaid is not just health insurance. It provides access to physicians, medications, behavioral supports, therapies, home- and community-based services, medical equipment, and long-term supports that allow them to live safely in their communities. Losing coverage, even temporarily, can have devastating consequences. I respectfully urge the government to: * Ensure all individuals who qualify for disability exemptions are automatically identified whenever possible. * Minimize unnecessary paperwork and duplicate documentation. * Allow multiple methods of communication and provide adequate notice before coverage is terminated. * Make the renewal and exemption process simple, accessible, and easy for people with disabilities and their caregivers to complete. * Prioritize keeping eligible individuals enrolled rather than creating administrative barriers that lead to avoidable coverage losses. People with disabilities and their families deserve a system that supports them, not one that places additional obstacles in front of essential healthcare. Please revise these requirements to protect eligible Medicaid beneficiaries from losing coverage because of paperwork rather than eligibility. Thank you for considering my comments. -Melody Bell