Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 2811, which includes proposals that would be harmful to a number of public programs in exchange for lifting the Debt Ceiling. This includes misguided work requirements for Medicaid recipients.
The Center for Medicare Advocacy strongly opposes work requirements for Medicaid. As our colleagues at the National Health Law Program (NHeLP) state:
Work requirements act as a wolf in sheep’s clothing – they may sound like a good idea to some people but they generate a morass of paperwork and documentation requirements, add costs for states to administer, and leave too many – including older adults and people with disabilities — without any health care coverage at all.
The Center recently joined over 160 other organizations belonging to the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) and the Disability and Aging Collaborative (DAC) in a letter calling on Congressional leadership to protect and save Medicaid. The letter urged Congress to exclude Medicaid cuts or changes that limit funding or eligibility from any Debt Ceiling and budget negotiations and legislation.
These short-sighted proposals come at a time when the Public Health Emergency (PHE) is coming to an end, along with continuous enrollment requirements regarding Medicaid coverage. As a result of states redetermining peoples’ eligibility for Medicaid, a recent KFF analysis estimated that 8 to 14 million people could lose Medicaid coverage by May 2024.
It is time to strengthen, not degrade, the Medicaid program which is so critical to so many people. We urge the Senate and the President to reject this dangerous proposal.
April 27, 2023 – D. Lipschutz