The state of Georgia is moving ahead with plans to implement Georgia Pathways, a new Medicaid expansion plan that will require enrollees to work, study or volunteer for at least 80 hours a month.
Around 345,000 additional Georgians will become eligible under the new plan, as long at they meet other requirements. To get the insurance, in addition to work, other qualifying activities include vocational training, education, job readiness programs or community service.
Although other states, including Arkansas and Indiana, dropped their work-requirement plans, lawyers for Georgia sued and won in federal court. Although the federal government could have appealed to a circuit court, it has not done so, opening the door for Georgia to forge ahead with the new plan.
Some advocates are concerned the new plan will make it harder to get health care and argue Georgia should fully expand Medicaid instead.
