A U.S. district court judge has thrown out Medicaid work requirements in two states, calling them arbitrary and capricious. Ohio is now reviewing its own plan to impose work requirements on people included in the Medicaid expansion, which was just approved by the federal government two weeks ago.
Ohio Medicaid notes in a statement that its work requirements differ from those in Arkansas and Kentucky, the two states in the lawsuit.
Sally Pipes, president of the conservative Pacific Research Institute based in California, thinks the ruling won’t stop states from going forward with work requirements.
"Many of the cases that go through the court and overturn good legislation – or bad – end up in the Supreme Court, and I think that’s why a lot of states will continue to move forward with their Medicaid work requirement plans," Pipes said.
Ohio's plan is to require nondisabled Medicaid expansion recipients to work 20 hours a week if they're not older than 50, caregivers, or in job training, college or community service.
It's estimated just over 109,000 Ohioans might be subject to work requirements.
