Lifeline, Not Lifestyle: Scott Jennings Welcomes Debate on Medicaid Work Requirements

The Democratic Party seems very upset at the notion that some Americans -- 4.8 million to be exact -- might have to work to get access to Medicaid.

It's a common-sense requirement, because Medicaid was never meant to be an ongoing insurance plan but a safety net for those who couldn't work or were temporarily out of work.

Then again, Democrats were never the party of common sense.

Watch as Scott Jennings welcomes the debate, because it's one that we'll win.

WATCH:

The Medicaid debate is a good one to have, and the CBO says there are 4.8 million able bodied adults who choose not to work.

The program isn’t supposed to be a lifestyle, but a lifeline for people who truly need it. Work requirements are GOOD THING! pic.twitter.com/Z9Ml3Vvm1t
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) July 2, 2025

There's no reason not to work if you are able-bodied.

And Jennings brings the receipts:

Receipts:

CBO letter is below and here’s a link to the AEI study on what they do with their time https://t.co/40cNNfF1kA pic.twitter.com/4b6brhbLFU
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) July 2, 2025

Boom.

Here's some info from that study, too:

For Medicaid recipients who do not report working, the most common activity after sleeping is watching television and playing video games. They spend 4.2 hours per day watching television and playing video games, or 125 hours during a 30-day month. That is more than 50 percent higher than the 80 hours they would be required to work or otherwise engage with the community during at least some months under the reconciliation bill. They spend on average 6.1 hours per day, or 184 hours per month on all socializing, relaxing and leisure activities (including television and video games). In the average day they spend about 0.36 hours (i.e., 22 minutes) looking for work, 4.0 hours doing housework and errands, and 0.47 hours (i.e., 28 minutes) caring for others.
For Medicaid recipients who report working, the most common activity after sleeping is work. They work an average of 4.2 hours per day, or 126 hours per month, enough for the average working Medicaid recipient to comply with the community engagement requirement. Working Medicaid recipients spend a lower 2.7 hours per day watching television and playing video games, and a total of 4.5 hours on all socializing, relaxing and leisure activities.