State of Washington, Department of Social & Health Services v. Bowen

FARRIS, Circuit Judge:

The State of Washington appeals from a final decision of the Secretary of Health and Human Services disapproving a Medicaid plan amendment submitted by the State. In the plan amendment, the State sought authorization to begin calculating the eligibility of married Medicaid applicants for benefits under state community property law instead of under the Secretary’s “name-on-the-check” rule. The State argues that the Secretary’s decision to require the State to continue using the “name-on-the-check” rule, in spite of the rule’s inconsistency with state community property…