Healthcare

And Alabama Says ‘Hold My Beer’

Written by SK Ashby

Sure, the new requirements for Medicaid enrollment adopted by Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin are bad, but the state of Alabama and Governor Kay Ivey have a much worse idea.

Alabama is asking the federal government for permission to implement its own work requirements, but Alabama never accepted Medicaid expansion under Obamacare.

In other words, if you can't find a job you won't qualify for Medicaid, but if you do find a job you also won't qualify for Medicaid.

Specifically, Alabama proposes to require parents with Medicaid to spend at least 35 hours per week (or 20 hours if they have children under age 6) on “employment-related activities” such as work, job training, or job search to maintain their Medicaid coverage. [...]

Work requirements have a poor record of encouraging work, and, even in expansion states, taking away people’s coverage will likely impede work rather than encourage it. But in non-expansion states like Alabama, the rationale for work requirements makes even less sense. Alabama already has the nation’s most restrictive Medicaid eligibility rules: it offers no coverage to non-disabled, non-elderly childless adults and only covers parents with children who have incomes up to 18 percent of the poverty line, or a little more than $300 a month for a family of three.

There are communities in Alabama where there are literally no jobs to be had and the state obviously isn't going to spend money to put people back to work. Alabama's proposal does not identify "any new state spending" to help Medicaid recipients or applicants find jobs according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Moreover, simply finding a job does not mean you will have health insurance. Many employers, especially in Alabama, do not provide coverage but they also may not pay their workers enough money to buy private coverage.

Stop voting for politicians who want you dead.