I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1079 

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to implement a minimum 

work requirement for able-bodied adults enrolled in State Medicaid programs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 17, 2023 

Mr. GAETZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to implement 

a minimum work requirement for able-bodied adults enrolled in State Medicaid programs. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medicaid Work Re5 quirements Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR ABLE-BODIED ADULTS. 

7 Section 1902 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

8 1396a) is amended— 

9 (1) in subsection (a)— 


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1 (A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of para2 graph (86); 

3 (B) by striking the period at the end of 

4 paragraph (87) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

5 (C) by inserting after paragraph (87) the 

6 following new paragraph: 

7 ‘‘(88) beginning October 1, 2023, not provide 

8 medical assistance with respect to a month to an 

9 able-bodied adult (as defined in subsection (uu)(2)) 

10 that has not met the work requirement described in 

11 subsection (uu)(1) for such month.’’; and 

12 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub13 section: 

14 ‘‘(uu) WORK REQUIREMENT FOR ABLE-BODIED

15 ADULTS.— 

16 ‘‘(1) WORK REQUIREMENT DESCRIBED.—For 

17 purposes of subsection (a)(88), the work require18 ment described in this subsection with respect to an 

19 able-bodied adult and a month is that such adult 

20 satisfies at least one of the following with respect to 

21 such month: 

22 ‘‘(A) The adult works 120 hours or more 

23 per month, or has a month income that is at 

24 least equal to the federal minimum wage, multi25 plied by 120 hours. 


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1 ‘‘(B) The adult volunteers for 80 hours or 

2 more per month. 

3 ‘‘(C) The adult participates in a work pro4 gram for at least 80 hours a month. 

5 ‘‘(D) The adult participates in a combina6 tion of work, including volunteer work, and a 

7 work program for a total of at least 80 hours 

8 per month. 

9 ‘‘(2) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 

10 ‘‘(A) ABLE-BODIED ADULT.—The term 

11 ‘able-bodied adult’ means any individual who is 

12 not— 

13 ‘‘(i) under 18 years of age or over 65 

14 years of age; 

15 ‘‘(ii) physically or mentally unfit for 

16 employment, as determined by a physician 

17 or other medical professional; 

18 ‘‘(iii) pregnant; 

19 ‘‘(iv) the parent or caretaker of a de20 pendent child under 6 years of age; 

21 ‘‘(v) the parent or caretaker of an in22 capacitated person; 

23 ‘‘(vi) complying with work require24 ments under a different program under 

25 State or Federal law; 


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1 ‘‘(vii) participating in a drug or alco2 hol treatment and rehabilitation program 

3 (as defined in section 3(h) of the Food and 

4 Nutrition Act of 2008); or 

5 ‘‘(viii) enrolled in a college or univer6 sity, or a training program, at least half 

7 time. 

8 ‘‘(B) INCAPACITATED PERSON.—The term 

9 ‘incapacitated person’ means an individual who 

10 is incapable of making decisions concerning the 

11 provision, withholding, or withdrawal of foods, 

12 liquid, or medical treatment under applicable 

13 law. 

14 ‘‘(C) WORK PROGRAM.—The term ‘work 

15 program’ means— 

16 ‘‘(i) a program approved by the Sec17 retary of Labor pursuant to section 236(a) 

18 of the Trade Act of 1974; or 

19 ‘‘(ii) an employment or training pro20 gram operated by a State or a political 

21 subdivision of a State.’’. 

Æ 


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