I want to talk to you today about a severe threat to our poor: imposing work requirements on Medicaid recipients.
Earlier this week, the White House signaled they were open to allowing states to pursue mandating work in exchange for healthcare benefits. House Republicans are talking about adding it to their already catastrophic Obamacare repeal bill. Imposing a work requirement on Medicaid recipients isn’t just counter-productive, it’s cruel.
The vast majority of those on Medicaid work already — many of them work two or three jobs, just to make ends meet. Those who don’t may be struggling to find a job, have a disability, or are caretakers for a loved one at home.
Requiring work in exchange for healthcare is nothing more than an attempt to punish people for being poor. And that’s why I’m asking you to join me in a petition opposing work requirements for Medicaid recipients:
Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. An overwhelming majority of Americans believe we have a responsibility as a society to ensure all our neighbors have health coverage.
In our battle to stop the Republicans from taking health insurance away from 24 million people under their ACA repeal bill, we must be mindful of the other assaults on our social contract that are happening right under our noses.
This administration has shown time and again that they will attack our most vulnerable to give handouts to corporations, special interests, and the super-rich. The only way to stop them is coming together in this moment and taking action:
I believe we can win this fight if we come together to stop these offensive attacks on our poor and vulnerable.
Fight on,
Kamala Harris
U.S. Senator, California
