February 6 (legislative day, February 5), 2025
Mr. Kennedy (for himself and Mr. Schmitt) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to implement a minimum work requirement for able-bodied adults enrolled in State Medicaid programs.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Jobs and Opportunities for Medicaid Act
.
Sec. 2. Work requirements for able-bodied adults
Section 1902 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
by striking and
at the end of paragraph (86);
(B)
by striking the period at the end of paragraph (87) and inserting ; and
; and
(C)
by inserting after paragraph (87) the following new paragraph:
(88)
beginning January 1, 2026, not provide medical assistance with respect to a month to an able-bodied adult (as defined in subsection (uu)(2)) that has not met the work requirement described in subsection (uu)(1) for such month.; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(uu) Work requirement for able-Bodied adults
(1) Work requirement described
For purposes of subsection (a)(88), the work requirement described in this subsection with respect to an able-bodied adult and a month is that such adult satisfies at least one of the following with respect to such month:
(A)
The adult works 20 hours or more per week, based on a monthly average.
(B)
The adult volunteers for 20 hours or more per week, based on a monthly average.
(2) Able-bodied adult defined
In this subsection the term able-bodied adult means any individual who is not—
(A)
under 18 years of age or over 65 years of age;
(B)
medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment;
(C)
pregnant;
(D)
the primary parent or caretaker of a dependent child under 6 years of age;
(E)
the primary parent or caretaker of a dependent child with a serious medical condition or disability, as determined by the State agency established or designated to administer or supervise the administration of the State plan;
(F)
receiving unemployment compensation under State or Federal law and, as applicable, complying with work requirements under such State or Federal law; or
(G)
participating in a drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program (as defined in section 3(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008).