SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez says she will not pursue state work requirements for Medicaid recipients.
The second-term Republican told news reporters Thursday that she does not support tying work requirements to health care in general and noted that some Medicaid recipients already work or study. The Trump administration last week began allowing states to impose Medicaid work requirements.
Martinez says she still supports the idea linking work or volunteer responsibilities to other government-subsidized benefits, such as housing or nutritional assistance - but won’t initiate any new rules or legislation during her final year in office.
Efforts by New Mexico’s Human Services Department to tie food assistance to employment for a small share of beneficiaries have been held up in court under a longstanding lawsuit that accuses the agency of illegally blocking food assistance.
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