Wisconsin Seeks To Be First To Drug Test Medicaid Applicants

The Legislature's budget-writing Joint Finance Committee was to review a wide range of Walker's welfare reform proposals Thursday, including imposing a new work requirement on childless adult Medicaid recipients and parents who receive food stamps. Walker has talked for years about drug testing Medicaid and food stamp recipients, touting it as a way to make welfare programs a "trampoline, not a hammock" to get people back into the workforce. A requirement that childless adults receiving food stamps be screened for drugs was passed in the prior state budget, but it's yet to take effect pending federal approval. Opponents, including minority Democrats who don't have the votes to stop it, also say the provision will likely be declared unconstitutional, won't achieve the stated goals of keeping people drug-free and will only create another hurdle for Medicaid recipients to receive benefits. Walker's federal waiver request was to include a host of other changes, including limiting childless adult eligibility for Medicaid to no more than four years if they aren't meeting work requirements, imposing new monthly premiums and charging more for those who smoke or engage in other unhealthy behavior.