Indiana proposes work mandate for state health coverage

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(AP) — State documents show that less than 30 percent of those enrolled in the Healthy Indiana Plan would be required to comply with Gov. Eric Holcomb’s proposed work mandate.

The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports that Holcomb has proposed making able-bodied, low-income residents work at least 20 hours a week for eight months of the year in order to receive state-supported health care coverage through the plan.

A third of the program’s participants already meet that work requirement. But most members qualify for at least one of 14 exemptions and wouldn’t have to work. Exemptions apply to people who are medically frail, older than 60 and full- or part-time students.

If the federal government approves Holcomb’s plan, an estimated 130,000 people would need to enroll in the work program.