FGA Commends Gov. Snyder and Michigan Legislature for Passing Medicaid Work Requirements
- BY FGA
Naples, FL – The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) applauds the Michigan Legislature for passing a commonsense Medicaid work requirement bill and commends Gov. Rick Snyder for giving millions of able-bodied adults on Medicaid the opportunity to lift themselves from dependency.
Under the legislation, able-bodied adults on Medicaid in Michigan will be required to work, train, or volunteer for at least 20 hours per week in order to remain eligible for benefits. Persons with disabilities, pregnant women, caretakers for children under six years old or disabled dependents and other vulnerable populations are exempt from the requirements, which mirror the commonsense requirements in the food stamp program.
The legislation follows recent guidance from the Trump administration outlining how states can add work requirements to their Medicaid programs. Following the guidance, states have moved quickly to apply for waivers through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or pass legislation to implement work requirements.
When implemented in other welfare programs, work requirements helped move able-bodied adults from welfare to work in more than 600 different industries, where their incomes more than doubled.
“These commonsense work requirements will empower individuals in Michigan to lift themselves and their families out of dependency while safeguarding Medicaid’s ability to serve the truly needy,” said Tarren Bragdon, CEO and President of FGA. “We applaud Sen. Mike Shirkey for his leadership on this issue, as well as Gov. Snyder, Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, Speaker Tom Leonard, Speaker Pro Tem Chatfield, House Appropriations Chair Laura Cox, and the rest of the Michigan Legislature for their willingness to develop a solution that works for Michigan.”
The Foundation for Government Accountability is a non–profit, multi–state think tank that specializes in health care, welfare, and work reform. To learn more, visit TheFGA.org.
###
