Many Adults Targeted by Medicaid Work Requirements Face Barriers to Sustained Employment

This study assesses potential barriers facing Medicaid enrollees in meeting work requirements through employment on a sustained basis, using pooled data from the September 2018 and March 2019 rounds of the Health Reform Monitoring Survey.

A growing number of states seek to establish work requirements in their Medicaid programs.Compared with privately insured adults, Medicaid enrollees who would potentially be subject to work requirements are more likely to face employment barriers, including low educational attainment, health problems, limited transportation and internet access, criminal records, and residence in high-unemployment or high-poverty neighborhoods.