MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama is seeking to put a work requirement on a small number of Medicaid recipients.
Gov. Kay Ivey’s office said Thursday that the state will seek permission from the federal government to make the change to its Medicaid program.
The proposal only impacts able-bodied parents of children under 19 who qualify for Medicaid because their family income is at or below 18 percent of the federal poverty level. That is about $247-a-month for a family of two.
The Alabama Medicaid Agency said the requirement would impact up to 75,000 of the state’s one million Medicaid recipients.
Under the proposal, the affected recipients would have to show they have a job or are engaged in a job search or training.
There are few able-bodied adults on Medicaid in Alabama. Most recipients are children, disabled or elderly.