Tell PA Legislature: Work Shouldn't Be a Medicaid Requirement

Updated 7/12/17: This bill passed the House and may be voted on the Senate this week. Please contact your senators!

Word is going out this morning that PA House Bill 59, which would add new requirements to the state Medicaid program, may be headed towards a vote today.

According to our friends at PHAN, this bill would:

• impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients
• lock-in managed care plans (making it hard for people to change plans to find the care they need)
• open the door to higher costs and premiums

Medicaid exists to ensure individuals and families who can't afford insurance don't go without healthcare. Many of the people I know who use Medicaid do so because of serious health conditions such as cancer or congenital diseases.  

The Atlantic points out that  

"most people on Medicaid who can work do, and low-income people working demanding jobs often do so 'until their bodies gave out on them.'"

 In fact, the article goes on to say that:

"the only real outcome of a Medicaid work requirement is that fewer people will have access to Medicaid, which may be the point."

Please, take a moment now to call your legislators and share your opposition to HB 59.  The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center has set up a way to email legislators as well. Let's make sure that our families can continue to get the care they need.