DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa lawmakers are looking at a proposal to establish work requirements for Medicaid recipients.
It would require able bodied recipients between 18-and-64 years-old to work, volunteer or take part in a training program for work for 20 hours a week.
It allows for exceptions to the requirements for those under 18 or over 64, those medically certified as unfit to work, parents or caretakers caring for an infant, pregnant women and certain other conditions
The bill would also put more restrictions on access to SNAP benefits, also known as "food stamps".
It would call for compliance with federal standards that SNAP recipients be at 130 percent of poverty level. Iowa and numerous other states currently have "categorical eligibility" that allows participation in the SNAP program for households to be at 160 percent of the poverty level.
The Republican backed proposal could see a vote in a committee this week, before reaching the Senate floor. Some other GOP led state legislatures have work requirements for Medicaid recipients.
A similar bill passed the state senate last year but failed to move in the Iowa House.