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A Michigan critic of Medicaid work rules said the Arkansas experience should serve as a wakeup call for what could happen here in a little more than a year, when Michigan’s new rules are expected to take effect, if approved.

“Everything we said would happen when we were talking to legislators is happening in Arkansas,” said Emily Schwarzkopf, senior policy analyst for the Michigan League for Public Policy, a Lansing nonprofit advocacy group that opposed the measure.

“As people lose coverage, they can’t afford their medications. They get more sick and end up in the emergency room. As people go back to the emergency room, we see the cost to hospitals go up.”

She added: “We are against work requirements. We will continue to be against work requirements. But if the federal government does approve Michigan’s waiver, we have to make sure we do it right.”

Arkansas is among five states already granted federal waivers for Medicaid work rules. As the first of those states to put the work requirements in place, it is being closely watched. Michigan awaits approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a measure signed into law in June by GOP Gov. Rick Snyder. Eight other states also await federal approval. Dec 11, 2018 – Bridge Magazine

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