LANSING, MI (MPRN)-- Governor Gretchen Whitmer has asked the Legislature to hit the “pause” button on the requirement that adults on Medicaid must be working, looking for work, or in school to qualify for benefits.
Lawmakers quickly said “no.”
The governor, who is a Democrat, sent a letter to lawmakers. It says Michigan should wait for federal courts to decide legal challenges filed in other states to work requirements before making them part of the Healthy Michigan program.
Whitmer says Republican-led states have already done this.
“…because they know that this court case could, you know, I think overturn the fact of the work requirement.”
But the Legislature’s GOP leaders rejected the request. They say Michigan’s rules are not as strict as other states, and expect the requirements would survive any court challenge.
The rules are part of a law signed last year by then-Governor Rick Snyder, so it would take a new law to reverse or change them.