Michigan GOP legislators never seem to tire of ways to make life harder for poor people. One of their latest punitive schemes is to impose a work requirement for people to obtain Medicaid.*
From an August 9, 2018 article by Lindsay VanHulle in Bridge Magazine:
If the federal government approves Michigan’s request, the law as signed would require able-bodied adults enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan to work for an average of 80 hours per month — roughly 20 hours per week — to keep benefits; other activities allowed under the rules include job training, education, internships, community service and an active job search. Recipients who fail to meet the requirements for more than three months in a year would lose benefits for at least a month until they’re again in compliance.
This article provides more details about the program including several links to explanatory sources.
If you object to this program, now is a good time to speak up. Bridge Magazine also provides this helpful guide to the public comment process.
How to submit comments
Comments on a state plan to impose work requirements on Medicaid expansion recipients can be sent via the U.S. Postal Service or by email by Sunday, Aug. 12. Details about the proposal and how to be heard can be found here.
You can mail comments to:
MDHHS
Medical Services Administration
Bureau of Medicaid Policy and Health System Innovation
Attention: Medicaid Policy
P.O. Box 30479
Lansing, MI 48909-7979
Or you can email comments to healthymichiganplan@michigan.gov. Include “Demonstration Extension Application Amendment” in the subject line.
The Michigan League for Public Policy, which advocates for vulnerable Michigan residents, also created a feedback form.
So far, public comments have been sparse. But we can change that, can’t we? Thanks for your comment and for encouraging others to speak up as well.
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* They did back off from the overtly racist plan to permit waivers for people residing in counties with high unemployment — a plan which not-so-coincidentally would benefit people predominantly white counties, and disadvantage people in predominantly black cities surrounded by white suburbs.