Their goal is to reduce federal Medicaid spending to offset continuing and new tax cuts for the SuperRich. According to the Kaiser Foundation, the FACTS prove the key accomplishment is that adding work requirements increases the number of people uninsured.
- Most Medicaid participants are working anyway, with the effectiveness of work requirements questionable. The exceptions are primarily people who qualify because of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
- National work requirements show an increase in the number of insured and lower federal spending, but not increases in employment (CBO estimate).
- The effectiveness of work requirements is questionable. For example, Arkansas tried it and succeeded in pushing 18,000 people out of Medicaid, resulting in an increased percentage of adults who were uninsured (25%) and no significant change in employment. People pushed out mostly failed to report their work status or their eligibility for an exemption. In other words, the paperwork requirements overwhelmed them. The Court stopped the program.
- Medicaid work and paperwork are confusing. The Arkansas experiment proved that a lack of computer literacy, Internet access, and confusion over unclear rules were key reasons.
- Research proves that a lack of health insurance and care slows people’s ability to find and keep jobs.
In summary, most Medicaid participants are working anyway. Work requirements get in the way of the work, taking time and requiring computer access, and defeat the goal of getting everyone back to work.