(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Senate has passed a bill to establish work requirements for most of the 181-thousand Iowans who get insurance coverage through Medicaid’s “Iowa Health and Wellness Plan.” These are low income Iowans who made too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid until the federal government offered Medicaid expansion in 2013. Republican Senator Mike Klimesh of Spillville says the bill calls for able-bodied Iowans covered by the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan to prove they work at least 80 hours a month.

“Work is more than just a paycheck. It provides individuals with a sense of pride, accomplishment, and a deeper connection to society,” Klimesh said. “…By requiring work we are providing an important stepping stone to help Iowans develop the life skills, develop responsibility and regain a sense of purpose.” Republicans voted for the bill, which directs state officials to apply for a federal waiver to implement these work requirements. Democrats opposed the bill. Senator Janet Petersen of Des Moines says if the federal government were to grant and then later rescind that waiver, the bill calls for ending Medicaid expansion to tens of thousands of Iowans.

“We’re seeing these bills all across the country popping up,” Petersen says. “This is a Medicaid repeal bill in sheep’s clothing as one of my colleagues in Idaho said about a bill that happened in their state.”

Republicans in the Iowa House have their own proposal on this topic and that bill could be debated later today (Wednesday).