© 2025 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Michigan Senate: Medicaid Recipients Must Find Work

Capitol building
File Photo
/
WKAR-MSU

Able-bodied Medicaid recipients in Michigan may soon have to choose between finding a job or losing health insurance.

The ultimatum comes in the form of a bill the GOP-controlled Senate approved Thursday in a 26-11 vote.

After their amendments were shot down, Democrats took the floor to blast the bill for what they said was punishing the poor.

Now headed to the House, the legislation would strip the public benefit from able-bodied adults unable to find an average of 29 hours of work per week by Oct. 1, 2019.

Exemptions include pregnant woman, people receiving unemployment or disability benefits, caretakers for children under 6 and full-time students.

In January, the Trump administration gave states the green light to hold Medicaid recipients to a work requirement.

WKAR’s first live pledge drive since federal funding was eliminated is happening now. Our goal for the drive is $60,000 and reaching it will bring us one step closer to closing the federal funding gap.
Your support helps keep trusted journalism, classical music, and educational programming freely available for everyone in our community.
How can you help? Become a sustaining donor today. Already a sustainer? Please consider increasing your monthly contribution.