Helping people escape poverty

Last week, I introduced H.R. 1381 – Requiring Individual Responsibility in Medicaid Act of 2017.  This bill would allow states to implement work requirements for adults who are able to work in order to receive Medicaid.  There are exemptions included for those who are disabled, pregnant or elderly.  There are also exemptions for those taking care of young or disabled children. 

I introduced the bill because I believe states should be allowed to develop programs that help those who are able-bodied and on Medicaid to move forward with their lives.

{mosads}As Americans, we are proud of the prosperity of our nation and our ability to help the vulnerable among us.  Although we may disagree on policies, we are all aware of Americans suffering in poverty and want to help those suffering to find a better life and hope for their future.

Medicaid was established as a safety net to provide healthcare to those who could not afford it. Americans who are elderly, disabled, pregnant, or a caretaker of a young or disabled child, may not be able to work a job that provides the ability to secure healthcare insurance. Medicaid can help those in need to care for their health and the health of their family. 

Currently my Medicaid proposal is a stand-alone bill.  But with adjusted language, the work/training requirements could be introduced as an amendment to the American Health Care Act.

The American Health Care Act is designed to give more control to the states, and transfer power away from the bureaucracy in Washington, D.C. Likewise, my bill leaves the specifics of the work/training requirements and the ability to administer the program to the states.

States are best positioned to find employment for their unemployed and should be given the flexibility to tailor their programs to the unique economy of their state.  States in areas where finding a job presents a challenge can choose various programs such as vocational training, community service, job search and job readiness, crafted for their regional needs to fulfill the requirements to receive Medicaid.

For adults who are able to work but have fallen on hard times, a healthcare benefit without hope for self-sufficiency is a short term fix and does not truly help Americans in poverty move forward into a better life.  Able-bodied adults stuck in unemployment miss out on “the dignity, the power, and the ethic of work,” in the words of President Bill Clinton.

My bill helps those individuals who are capable to move forward instead of being stuck.

We should continue to provide Medicaid to the needy.  But for the Medicaid recipients who are able to work but unfortunately are unemployed or under-employed, we should provide healthcare, help to find new employment, and the hope to move forward out of poverty.

The best way to escape poverty is through work and earning wages.  Providing healthcare is not a comprehensive solution to escaping poverty and achieving self-sufficiency. If we can provide tools for finding a job, we can help the jobless break out of the cycle of poverty and find satisfaction in providing for themselves and their family. 

Rep. Griffith represents Virginia’s 9^th District.

The views expressed by this author are their own and are not the views of The Hill.