WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today penned this op-ed in National Review arguing that adding a work requirement to Medicaid would save taxpayers money and improve the health of those on the program.

Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:

“Medicaid is supposed to be an investment in our country’s health and well-being. So why doesn’t the program encourage more Americans to enter the workforce and improve their physical, mental, and financial health?

“Numerous studies have shown that human beings are happier and healthier when they are employed. Long-term joblessness is associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, depression, and anxiety. One study even recommended employment as a 'critical mental health intervention.'

“Still, taxpayers today are footing the bill for an estimated 15 million able-bodied adults without children or other dependents to receive health-care coverage under Medicaid without any obligation to get a job. Many of them are simply choosing not to work. Both the taxpayer and the Medicaid recipients themselves would be better off if the program had a work requirement.”

. . .

“Nearly one in four Americans is on Medicaid today. Federal and state spending on the program has nearly doubled since 2020. COVID-19 was responsible for some of the spending surge, but there has been no effort to return Medicaid spending back to pre-pandemic levels.

“This is unsustainable. Medicaid is well on its way to costing taxpayers $1 trillion per year. Congress must find a way to get able-bodied Americans back on their feet and off Medicaid. With the right incentives in place, these Americans can leave this life of poverty and dependency to set out on a pathway toward success.

“A person without a job is not healthy. He’s not happy. He’s not free. Who really wants to be a slave to some government entitlement program?”

. . .

“Medicaid is an investment in our public health. Congress should treat it that way. Adding a work requirement to Medicaid will make the United States a stronger, healthier country and remind the world that America respects the dignity of hard work.”

Read Kennedy’s full op-ed here.