Work requirement approved for Arkansas' Medicaid expansion

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Andrew Demillo, Associated Press
Updated 4:05 pm, Monday, March 5, 2018

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Trump administration on Monday approved Arkansas' plan to require thousands of people on its Medicaid expansion program to work or volunteer, making Arkansas the third state allowed to impose such restrictions on health care coverage for the poor.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced that the requirement for Arkansas' program, which uses Medicaid funds to purchase private insurance for low-income residents, had been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. More than 285,000 people are on the Arkansas program, which was created as an alternative to expanding traditional Medicaid under the federal health law.

"This is not about punishing anyone," the Republican governor said at a news conference with Seema Verma, who heads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "It's about giving people an opportunity to work. It's to give them the training that they need. It's to help them to move out of poverty and up the economic ladder."

The Trump administration in January said it would allow states to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients. It has already approved proposals from Kentucky and Indiana.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Work-requirement-approved-for-Arkansas-Medicaid-12728728.php

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Governor Asa Hutchinson, former Bill Clinton
impeachment manager

[Phoenix61]

1. They really don't get it do they

They are going to increase the admin costs of this program then whine they don't have funds to provide services. Evil little shits.

[Ohiogal]

2. "This is not about punishing anyone"

BULL SHIT!

Republicans sure have a funny way of being "compassionate"!

Humiliate, stigmatize, and make them jump through so many hoops and drown them in paperwork ... maybe then the needy will just give up, which is probably Greedy Old Pig party's main goal.

[standingtall]

3. Arkansas

isn't that one of states that tried to get out of paying the federal minimum wage to workers? Now the Governor of that state is saying he wants to help lift people out of poverty by taking their health insurance away. I hate republicans.

[procon]

4. When he says they are going to give "people an opportunity to work",

does that mean the state has jobs and job training lined up for everyone? And is the state also providing no-cost childcare vouchers, adult care providers, around the clock transportation, work appropriate clothing, etc.?

If not, then the state is punishing their most vulnerable citizens for the "crime" of being poor.

[dflprincess]

5. And how many hoops will the family of an elderly

Dementia patient have to jump through to prove their loved one can't work?

I'm betting that will be made as difficult as possible.

[Maxheader]

6. Used medicaid

for mom when she was in the rest home..Guess I didn't realize it could be used by people that weren't
in the hospital or totally incapacitated?

[Akoto]

9. Sure it can. I'm on it.

As a physically disabled individual, I received Medicaid pretty much automatically along with SSI. I would've received full disability and Medicare, but the judge unfortunately couldn't grant it due to my being young and not having earned enough work credits.

Medicaid is also available to the poor who fall below a certain amount of income.

[Cryptoad]

7. Forced volunteerism

we use to call it slavery!

[kairos12]

8. I don't recall any "work" requirements for the grifters on Wall Street when they got bailed out.