Kentucky health policy officials discussed proposed work requirements to Medicaid as part of a federal issues summit in Lexington last month.
Those requirements would have childless adults without disabilities work or volunteer 80 hours per month to be eligible for Medicaid.
Jim Musser with the Kentucky Hospital Association said he hopes those work requirements are a motivator.
“I don't think it's unreasonable to say that healthy people who aren't caring for a small child or caring for an elderly relative that aren't disabled, that are fully able-bodied, should be pursuing something to make their lives better,” Musser said.
Mark Birdwhistell is the Vice President for Health and Public Policy at UK. He said during a Lexington federal policy summit he thinks the bill’s requirements could be ironed out over time.
“I think what it allowed is some time for things to settle down. There's a grandfathering provision in there that will allow the federal government and providers some time to reassess what they're doing as it relates to the work requirement,” he said.
Opponents, like the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy think tank, say those requirements would create more barriers for coverage because of the difficulties navigating paperwork.
The bill would cut more than $20 billion in federal Medicaid spending in Kentucky over the next decade, and cut nearly $800 billion from the program nationally.
Birdwhistell says the proposed cuts to Medicaid could have potentially been harsher.
The Senate is currently discussing the requirements as part of the House’s proposed spending bill, otherwise known as the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
