Discussion: Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Medicaid Work Requirements In Two States

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I really hope this sticks. Cutting off heath benefits to sick people if they are not working - and like KY doing so via complex ways that confuse people - is directly contrary to the stutory purposes and intent of the program. This change must come from congress, yet even when the pubs were in charge they could not get it through.

Purported “conservatives” complained about the administrative state, and acts not approved by congress, well this is a clear effort to change the law, w/o passing a law. The judge should be upheld, but we will have to see with so many republican partisan judges at this point on the court of appeal

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Donie should just put them to work building Trumpian’s Wall.

If they expire on the job, less to worry about, and a definite motivator to the others.

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Huzzah for AP’s nonsense framing of the administration’s malfeasance as a positive outcome for the poor…

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That caught my eye as well. Although, at least this time, the AP didn’t give a Republican PR flack the last word …

“Advocates for the poor say Medicaid is a health care program, and work requirements have no place.”

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This seems like a circle firing squad. The state who administer Medicaid don’t want anyone to get something for free so they get a waiver from HHS to add “work requirement” so clients aren’t getting something for free. Then the state devises the most Byzantine system of reporting their “work hours”. Throwing in they can only be reported online, during certain hours, in a state with piss poor internet service, let alone advertising this change, which all results in the state’s Medicaid rolls to shrink an no new money to go to community health centers that would be expected to pick up the care for those that were tossed from the rolls.
god help the poor

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What has happened in Kentucky with their health care system is really a travesty…they went from having an excellent setup with Obamacare and Medicaid to that all being torn down, and now work requirements being piled onto the poor. And it’s all because of Republican lies and propaganda fooling Kentuckians into going along with the destruction of the system. If there was any justice they would throw out the Republicans who tore their system down, but I have a feeling that Republicans in the state are just fine with destroying their health care just so “others” don’t manage to “take advantage” of, er, something. Sigh.

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lazy poors and their illnesses

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And if this is a faith-based country, why isn’t there free health care through the tax exempt churches?

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“Officials in GOP-led states have argued that work requirements and other
measures such as modest premiums are needed to ensure political
acceptance for the expansion.”

Note that neither the politician nor AP could bring themselves to say that it would do any good, make real work, make a difference, be equitable for sick people to work… it’s only for political acceptance. And where will all these part-time jobs that are just aching to hire sick people with mobility issues and constant medical appointments be found?

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“Are there no workhouses? Is the treadmill still in operation?” I swear, these people want to take us back to the 19th century in so many ways. Once again, I am glad that Trump and McConnell have not (yet) been able to completely pollute the justice system.

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now now, just because you’re too old to be a chimney sweep doesn’t mean you can’t be a tosher or stevador, don’t be bitter

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There is - unfortunately, their primary treatment plan is “Thoughts and Prayers”, although for the most serious cases there’s also “Tithes” and “Best Wishes”…

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And now all those coal mining jobs are roaring back, we can always send them “down the pits”…

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perfectly wholesome occupation for the little tykes

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And mules. How dreadful!

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think of the poor pit ponies in wales who never saw the light of day after they were weaned - and died in those mines of overwork or asphyxiation

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Very very sad. So much abuse.

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The “able bodied” formulation doesn’t address mental health at all. In no other field of study is the amateur diagnostician’s overconfidence so grossly divorced from the reality of their complete ignorance. Frankly, amateur diagnosticians aren’t much better with physical ailments. It’s not just rushing to judge a person instead of helping them, but actively confusing one’s judgement for help.

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Before transitioning to a volunteer military, every one horse town had at least one farmer or business owner on the draft board, who miraculously had all the cheerful, minimum-wage labor he cared to hire. If you don’t like it, you’re drafted. Illegal immigrants play that role today, but racism is a double edged sword that limits their availability. Medicaid work requirements are another attempt to re-create the similar dynamic under an aura of legitimacy.