U.S. Health and Human Services Department spokesman Ben Wakana said “encouraging work is a legitimate state objective” and the agency looks forward to continuing negotiations with Herbert over Medicaid expansion.
“However, work initiatives are not the purpose of the Medicaid program and cannot be a condition of Medicaid eligibility,” Wakana said.
Herbert originally sought a work requirement as part of his alternative to expanding the state-federal health care program. Instead, he reached a deal with federal officials late last year that would allow some Medicaid recipients to be enrolled in job-search and training programs, but they’d be able to opt-out.
