Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is requesting approval from the Trump administration to implement a work requirement for “able-bodied” recipients of the Medicaid expansion program ARHOME. In a letter addressed to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Sanders argues that this new waiver, called Pathway to Prosperity, will reduce administrative hurdles and help recipients stand on their own feet. She believes that allowing able-bodied adults to work will help them escape poverty and build responsibility. Previously, Arkansas implemented a similar rule under Trump, resulting in over 18,000 people losing coverage before it was blocked by federal courts and the Biden administration.
Sanders estimates that there are 220,000 working-age adults in the program costing over $2.2 billion annually, with 90,000 of them having no job. The new work requirement, if approved, will apply to adults under 64 with incomes ranging from 0% to 138% below the federal poverty level covered by a qualified health plan, with no exemptions and assessments through data matching. Those not meeting the requirements will be offered focused care coordination services to support health and economic self-sufficiency.
The governor believes that work is essential for individuals to escape poverty and contribute to society. The request acknowledges flaws in previous work requirements, and the new proposal aims to accurately identify who needs to be employed and the monthly requirements they must meet. The ultimate goal is to help recipients become self-reliant and reduce reliance on government assistance.
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