Legislature passes Medicaid work requirement
Before recessing for summer break, the legislature passed NFIB supported Senate Bill 897 that will implement a work requirement for recipients of Medicaid health coverage. The version passed by the Senate and House requires able-bodied adults between the age of 19 and 64 years to work an average of 80 hours per month (20-hours per week) to remain eligible for benefits. The original requirement was 29-hours per week, however, Governor Snyder indicated that he would veto the bill if changes were not made to the requirements. The Governor is expected to sign the revised legislation. A waiver will also need to be granted by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services before the law could be implemented, however, the federal department has already signaled that they would grant the waiver request. Ninety percent of NFIB members responding to a survey on the issue support a work requirement for able-bodied Medicaid recipients to continue eligibility for benefits.
