Federal Judge Rejects Medicaid Work Requirements

In a ruling on Friday, a federal judge in Kentucky blocked that state’s Medicaid work requirement.

The court decision said imposing work requirements on Medicaid enrollees violates federal law and the program’s purpose of providing health care to the most vulnerable Americans.

“Today’s federal court ruling confirms that work requirements do nothing to enhance access to health care or improve health. Instead, such mandates are costly and punitive, wasting millions of dollars to create bureaucratic obstacles and ultimately covering fewer people,” said Sheldon Weisgrau, interim executive director of the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas.

“We applaud this decision and look forward to working with the Kansas legislature on a plan to expand KanCare that both increases coverage and reduces red tape and barriers to care.”

Kentucky was one of four states that had work requirements approved by the federal government. The ruling is a result of a lawsuit filed earlier this year.

Kansas is one of six other states that have proposals for work requirements waiting for approval by the federal government.

For more information, please contact Sheldon Weisgrau, Interim Executive Director, at 785-408-8008.