Bevin says federal judge who struck down Medicaid work requirement acted irresponsibly

By WKYT News Staff |

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) – Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin is questioning a judge’s intention following a ruling which once again struck down a plan to require many Medicaid beneficiaries to get a job, go to school or volunteer to keep their health benefits.

Gov. Bevin spoke to the Gray Washington News Bureau Monday about U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg while attending a criminal justice reform celebration at the White House after Boasberg once again blocked the new Medicaid rules from going into effect.

“The problem is with a single judge in Washington, D.C. (Boasberg) who I wonder if this judge has ever been to Kentucky, or Arkansas, or any of these other states that he would presume to know what is best for,” Bevin said. “I think it is irresponsible, frankly, that he is messing up the lives of millions of people based on his own personal predilections, and it is hard for me to understand the logic.”

This is the second time Boasberg has blocked the new rules. Last summer, he ruled the government did not adequately consider how the changes would impact people on the program. A group of Medicaid recipients asked Boasberg in January to once again block the rules, which he did in March.

“He doesn’t seem to care whether or not people are healthy or whether they are leading healthier lives or whether states have ideas to help people get on their feet,” Bevin said. “He seems to be driven more by ideology, and so this will be contested, and we’ll appeal this up the line.”

Arkansas was the first state to implement the work requirements. The state announced in November 2018 more than 12,000 people lost coverage in three months.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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