(Richmond, VA) – Virginia Governor Ralph Northram has pressed “pause” on getting federal approval to requires some Medicaid recipients to have a job or participate in some form of approved community engagement and pay part of the premiums.

 

In a statement Wednesday the Governor said “Virginians made it clear they want more access to health care, not less,” Now that the Democratic party has control over both legislative bodies for the first time in a generation it seems unlikely for the work requirement to ever be implemented.

 

The provisions were key parts of a bi-partisan compromise nearly two years ago that saw Virginia expand Medicaid to low-income, able-bodied adults after years of steadfast GOP opposition.  Incoming Virginia House Minority Leader Todd Hilbert said of the move, “He (the Governor) gave his personal assurance that the long-term policy of the commonwealth would be Medicaid expansion with a work requirement. Broken promises like this are the reason so many people hate politics.”

 

Medicaid is a publicly funded health care program whose costs are split by the federal and state governments. Medicaid expansion to low-income, able-bodied adults was a key part of former President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul.  Since lawmakers approved expansion more than 300,000 Virginians have signed up for the program.

 

Other states have similar work requirements in their legislation but most have been held up in legal challenges.  Indiana is the only state where the work requirement has been enacted.