Major Shift As Trump Opens Way For Medicaid Work Requirement

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Trump administration says it's offering a path for states that want to seek work requirements for Medicaid recipients. And that's a major policy shift toward low-income people.

Seema Verma heads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and she's announcing the new approach. She says work and community involvement can make a positive difference in people's health.

But the plan probably will face opposition and legal challenges over concerns that people would lose coverage.

Medicaid is a federal-state collaboration that's grown to cover about 1 in 5 Americans. It's the largest government health insurance program.

People don't have to work to be on Medicaid. But states traditionally can seek federal waivers to test new ideas.

The administration is spelling out safeguards for states to obtain approval.

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