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A bill to remove a requirement that able-bodied adults who receive Medicaid must be working passed through the Michigan House last week as Democrats use their remaining time in the majority to push through legislative priorities.
House Bill 4224, which repeals work requirements for the Healthy Michigan program, passed the House along party lines Wednesday, with all Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.
One of those Republicans was state Rep. John Roth (R-Interlochen).
“This isn’t about forcing people to work, this is about encouraging folks to explore opportunities that will equip them with the skills they need to live fruitful lives free of government intervention,” said Roth. “We want every man, woman, and child to have access to the resources they need to be healthy and happy. But we also want those families to have a clear path to rise above their economic station and leave state assistance behind. I believe people are capable of more than just cashing a government check.”
While the requirements, which were initially signed into law in 2018 by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, are inactive following a 2020 federal court ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court could put them back into effect once the administration of President-elect Donald Trump is back in the White House.
During his first administration, Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services allowed states to implement work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries. A challenge to that policy made its way to the Supreme Court, but was dismissed in 2022 as moot because the Biden administration had reversed the policy.
The Healthy Michigan Plan, a Medicaid program provided through the state Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and authorized under the federal Affordable Care Act, covers about 561,000 people across the state.
Available to those who don’t meet the requirements for other Medicaid programs, Healthy Michigan is open to Michiganders ages 19 to 64 who earn an income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level – about $18,000 for a single person or $37,000 for a family of four.
The bill to permanently remove the requirements is now before the Democratic-controlled Michigan Senate.
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