Congressman Bean Creates Work Requirements for Medicaid, Reduces Reliance on Government

WASHINGTON—U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) today reintroduced a bill to reform work requirements for able-bodied Americans. The requirements apply to adults receiving Medicaid benefits who are not in school and have no dependents. This change would help lift millions off government dependence, save taxpayers more than $100 billion over 10 years, and put America on the path of fiscal responsibility. 

Congressman Bean was joined by Congressmen Scott Franklin (FL-18), Mike Kennedy (UT-03), and Randy Weber (TX-14) in reintroducing this bill.

“Work is an honorable enterprise, and it promotes a dignified pathway out of poverty. Yet today, there are more than 1.5 million able-bodied adults on Medicaid who are not working. We can’t keep asking hardworking Americans to pay for services for their neighbors who do not work,” said Congressman Bean. “Imposing work requirements on able-bodied adults without a dependent is not only common sense, but it would allow working Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money.” 

“Not only will these requirements encourage hard work and personal responsibility, but they also save the taxpayer more than 100 billion dollars over the next decade.  This is the kind of commonsense Americans expect from Congress to balance our budget and preserve the American Dream. I’m glad to join my colleague from Florida, Congressman Bean and I thank him for his leadership on this issue,” said Congressman Franklin.

“I am a physician by trade and have seen firsthand that while Medicaid can achieve a lot of good, it is deeply flawed and in desperate need of reform. I grew up benefitting from government assistance myself and found its true potential is only realized when it is coupled with work. This legislation implements work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents and will get healthy adults back into the labor market and on an upward path,” said Congressman Kennedy. 

BACKGROUND

• As the number of people on Medicaid has increased to more than 93 million, the labor force participation rate has decreased to 62.5%.
   
• Specifically, this legislation would require able-bodied adults aged 18-65 with no dependents to work, volunteer, or enroll in a school, a job training program, or a combination of all 3 for 80 hours a month to be eligible for Medicaid benefits. 
   
• The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated similar able-bodied work requirements for Medicaid benefits would save taxpayers $109 billion over the next decade.
   
• A 2023 Axios-Ipsos survey revealed that 63% of Americans supported work requirements for Medicaid and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program benefits.

The text of this legislation can be found here.

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