What a court ruling really means for Medicaid and the truly needy

Legal attempts to muddy the waters of state-led welfare reforms won’t work. Despite the recent federal court ruling pausing Medicaid work requirements in Kentucky and Arkansas, states are (and should be) pressing forward to empower more Americans through the power of work.

Since 2000, the number of able-bodied adults on Medicaid has quadrupled. Most of these welfare recipients are not working, and the cost to states has been on the rise. Today, nearly one-third of every dollar in state budgets is devoted to Medicaid spending. Lawmakers need a solution to realign the program to its original intent to serve the truly needy. Work requirements are the antidote.