Medicaid; Training, Education, Employment, and Opportunity Program for able-bodied adult recipients. (HB338)
Introduced By
Del. Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach) with support from co-patrons Del. Buddy Fowler (R-Ashland), Del. Steve Landes (R-Weyers Cave), and Del. Bob Thomas (R-Stafford)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Medicaid; work requirement; report. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services (the Department) to apply for a waiver to implement a work requirement for able-bodied adult recipients of medical assistance services. The bill requires the Department to administer the Training, Education, Employment, and Opportunity Program (the Program) to enable Medicaid enrollees to improve their health and well-being through training, education, employment and other community engagement opportunities leading to self-sufficiency. The bill requires Medicaid recipients to participate in the program but provides exceptions for children, individuals age 65 or older, individuals with certain disabilities, and individuals who are the primary caregiver for a dependent. The bill requires enrollees to meet gradually escalating participation requirements, culminating in 20 hours per week of required participation after 12 months of enrollment. The bill provides that the Program shall work with Virginia Workforce Centers or One-Stops to provide services to enrollees. Read the Bill »
Status
03/01/2018: Failed to Pass in Committee
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 01/04/2018 | Committee |
| 01/04/2018 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18102781D |
| 01/04/2018 | Referred to Committee on Rules |
| 01/29/2018 | Impact statement from DPB (HB338) |
| 01/30/2018 | Reported from Rules with substitute (14-Y 3-N) (see vote tally) |
| 01/30/2018 | Committee substitute printed 18106104D-H1 |
| 01/30/2018 | Referred to Committee on Appropriations |
| 02/05/2018 | Impact statement from DPB (HB338H1) |
| 02/09/2018 | Fiscal impact review from JLARC (HB338H1) |
| 02/09/2018 | Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
| 02/09/2018 | Committee substitute printed 18107013D-H2 |
| 02/10/2018 | Read first time |
| 02/12/2018 | Read second time |
| 02/12/2018 | Committee substitute from Rules rejected 18106104D-H1 |
| 02/12/2018 | Committee substitute from Appropriations agreed to 18107013D-H2 |
| 02/12/2018 | Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB338H2 |
| 02/13/2018 | Read third time and passed House (64-Y 36-N) |
| 02/13/2018 | VOTE: PASSAGE (64-Y 36-N) (see vote tally) |
| 02/14/2018 | Constitutional reading dispensed |
| 02/14/2018 | Referred to Committee on Education and Health |
| 03/01/2018 | Continued to 2019 in Education and Health (12-Y 3-N) (see vote tally) |
Comments
It is already more onerous to try to get medical help in Virginia than in most other states. With few insurance providers, there will be more people in need.
It would cost a bunch of money to check in on people who need assistance -- trying to "catch" one "cheater". This money could be better spent simply providing healthcare.
I can instantly see problems -- the parent of 2 or 3 children ages 7 through 9 who can't find work during the time the children are in school and has no child-care. The person who is applying for disability, going through a process already difficult and often taking more than a year. A person temporarily disabled, say, with pneumonia, who recently lost a job, or loses a low-paying job without benefits due to illness. A diabetic or person with sickle-cell disease who is able to work intermittently, but often falls through the cracks due to intermittent illness and lack of other resources. A 59-year-old person with lung disease who is not yet permanently disabled but who is in transition between previous manual labor and trying to find other other work.
All of these possible "exceptions" will be a paper-work nightmare for the benefit recipient, and a tax-payer paid job for the social worker, who may or may not be adequately medically qualified to make borderline decisions.
Welfare w/o a work requirement is always a disaster
This bill is based on magical thinking. We are talking about people with medical problems (disabilities). Some will never be able to work. That's why they are on disability.
How about providing health care and fully funding the medicaid waiver so these individuals can gain some skills for workforce readiness? Transportation support, childcare support and training help too.
This bill tries to look reasonable by carving out exceptions for people receiving disability benefits and for caregivers of young children, but what about people who are devoting many hours per week to care for ADULT family members, such as seriously ill spouses or parents or adult children who are not able to live independently? And who is to judge what "able-bodied" means for the purpose of this bill?
In theory this bill sounds good but getting Medicaid in VA in the first place is a difficult task--so those that do get it have serious reasons and need to be covered. This bill will set up a complex , costly system " to catch a few cheaters" as they see it . Just provide medicaid expansion federal funds in the State budget and cover those who need care.