LANSING, MI (WTVB) – Legislation from State Senator Mike Shirkey (R-Clark Lake) that would require some Medicaid recipients in Michigan to either work, be in job training, or go to school for at least 29 hours a week in order to get healthcare from the state has the support of House Speaker Tom Leonard.
Leonard says Shirkey is working with the governor’s office on amendments and changes.
Democrats argue the requirement is a backdoor attempt at eroding Healthy Michigan, the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act that was championed a few years ago by Governor Snyder.
They say with Republicans in Congress having been unsuccessfully repealing the healthcare law on a federal level, the GOP is now trying to tear it down state-by-state.
Shirkey’s legislation is before the House Appropriations Committee.