Federal Judge Blocks Medicaid Work Requirement

A federal judge in Washington, D. C., this morning struck down Michigan’s Medicaid work requirements as unlawful.

A judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued an order blocking the state from enforcing work requirements among Healthy Michigan enrollees, those participating in the expanded Medicaid program. It was a short order without further explanation. The question at hand was whether the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lawfully approved the work requirement. The district court’s ruling follows a similar ruling by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia striking down work requirements in other states.

Ms. Whitmer had previously filed a motion for dismissal in the court and called on the Republican Legislature to pass legislation stopping the work requirements that took effect January 1.

“That is an effort we undertook to make sure Michigan citizens were protected and our constitutional rights were protected as well,” Ms. Whitmer told reporters at a separate event this morning. “We knew this was going to happen. … and I am grateful that this decision came in such a timely way, so we haven’t created unnecessary anxiety and waste of taxpayer dollars.”

Source: Gongwer News Service