Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, the leading conservative Republican for governor, said any Medicaid proposals under consideration by the Georgia General Assembly should incorporate the work requirements recently approved by the Trump administration.

“I have long believed that work requirements for benefits build good faith with the taxpayers who fund these programs,” said Cagle. “Georgia has taken the lead in combating entitlement abuse to ensure our citizens are able to provide for themselves and their families. There is dignity in all work, and we have seen great success with the work requirement programs we have advanced across our state.”

In Georgia, Medicaid serves its intended purpose of supplying a safety-net only for those who need it most. Children, the disabled, and pregnant women make up the vast majority of Georgia’s Medicaid recipients — which fulfills the program’s purpose of providing fiscally sustainable relief to those with the greatest demonstrated need.

“Whether you are working, volunteering, or mastering skills for an in-demand career by enrolling in a job-training course, I am excited that our nation is following Georgia’s lead by advancing work requirements to make certain that receiving public assistance does not trap citizens in their circumstances. As Georgia considers Medicaid waiver plans, I will work to ensure that we remain a national leader for conservative workfare reform. We have more resources for those in greatest need if we insist that those who can work, do work.”

Cagle’s Health Care Reform Task Force has advanced a legislative framework that includes bolstering the state’s existing work requirements through waivers to build on the state’s conservative, responsible approach to health care.

Cagle’s comments regarding work requirements follow the state’s fiscal economist noting yesterday that “we’re seeing people come off the sidelines and enter the workforce … [and] there are jobs to be had.”