\nBy Luke Mayville<\/p>\n
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Last June, the state of Arkansas enacted \u201cwork requirements\u201d for Medicaid recipients in an effort to incentivize people to work.<\/p>\n
It was a failed experiment. Recent studies by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that between June and November 2018, nearly 17,000 people lost Medicaid coverage\u2014and so the \u201cMedicaid gap\u201d continues to exist in Arkansas in spite of Medicaid expansion.<\/p>\n
And here\u2019s the thing: It is estimated that the majority who lost coverage were working; they merely failed to file the correct paperwork. They were victims of red tape.<\/p>\n
Here in Idaho, where citizens recently voted by a landslide to enact Medicaid expansion, we have a chance to learn from Arkansas\u2019 mistakes.<\/p>\n
Newly elected Gov. Brad Little recently suggested that Idaho lawmakers should honor the will of the voters, but that Medicaid Expansion should be implemented \u201cin an Idaho manner.\u201d Many interpreted Little as suggesting that Idaho should follow Arkansas and enact \u201cwork requirements\u201d for Medicaid recipients.<\/p>\n
The truth is that so-called \u201cwork requirements\u201d are not the \u201cIdaho\u201d way; they are the Arkansas way. They failed in Arkansas and they would surely fail in Idaho.<\/p>\n
Most will agree with Gov. Little that people should be incentivized to become more productive, to make more money, and to move off of the Medicaid rolls. But the best way to achieve this goal is to implement Medicaid expansion as it was written and without modifications.<\/p>\n
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