Sae Yamamoto Wickle
The Biden administration has significantly improved access to affordable health care over the past year, including by breaking down barriers to registration with Medicaid. For example, the Medicare and Medicaid Service Center (CMS) has revoked the Trump administration’s illegal exemption approval for the state to implement work requirements in Medicaid. The exemption did not overcome the court’s objections, but the state exemption that came into effect before the closure caused significant loss of health insurance, including those who should have been exempt from working requirements.
With the rejection of Georgia’s request in recent weeks, the Biden administration has officially terminated these policies for Medicaid. Unfortunately, other benefits programs still use so-called work requirements. Policy makers also need to end these and dismiss consideration of child tax credits (CTCs) and other program work requirements.
Job requirements are racist and there is ample evidence to prevent qualified people from accessing benefits such as cash and food aid. Both the Temporary Assistance Program (TANF) and the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have labor requirements that are deeply rooted in racism and are “valued” or “valued” for basic living needs. We are taking advantage of the shameful history that we have classified as “no.” .. Over and over again, work requirements could only create barriers that would benefit the program.
Unfortunately, some parliamentarians have suggested adding CTC work requirements to the Build Back Better package. Last year’s American Rescue Plan temporarily made CTC available to families with little or no income. This has increased access to CTC. This is especially true for black and Hispanic families who were more likely to be denied full CTC by previous law because their income was too low.
There are many issues with work requirements, including:
Hurt the color community. From employment discrimination to a reduction in the number of jobs available in the color community, all systematic racism throughout people’s lives affects their ability to work. In addition, blacks and Hispanics, especially women, report higher levels of involuntary part-time work if they prefer full-time work.
Add confusion to eligibility requirements. Regardless of how work requirements are structured in CTC, management is complicated and confusing. Some children in the lowest-income families will be disqualified from credit, while others will probably be deterred for fear of paying back the money to the IRS.
Increased stress during unemployment. Losing a job is a stressful experience, especially for families living from salary to salary. CTC helps families survive unexpected loss of income. Linking CTC to employment will create more stress and further reduce family income.
It does not reflect the reality of our economy. Work can take many forms, including part-time, seasonal, full-time, and unpaid care for family and others. The policies that determine what constitutes a job do not simply reflect the reality of our economy and people’s lives.
It hurt people with disabilities and illnesses and their families. Many people who are unable to work due to a disability or illness may not have an official document of their disability or illness. It is often difficult to obtain, time consuming and expensive. Even if policy makers try to design isolated exceptions for people with disabilities and illnesses, the complexity of proving disability and the ability to understand policy nuances will make many people with disabilities and illnesses work. It leads to exclusion from the profits that need to be. Including such requirements in the CTC is also a burden for caregivers of children with disabilities. Children with disabilities are likely to need to take leave to care for their child’s medical needs.
CTC has proven to be an overwhelmingly strong policy for reducing child poverty. Keep things going, create barriers to paperwork, and avoid pitfalls that have proven to prevent qualified people from accessing the program. Congress needs to expand the redesigned CTC with monthly payments to families and to ensure that policies meet their goals of reducing child poverty and reducing family financial stress.
Adding work requirements to the CTC is a major policy failure and is most harmful to families with the lowest incomes, people of color, and families who do not have time to navigate the bureaucracy. Instead, take a look at the facts and trusted families. CTC payments help you pay for food, invoices, school supplies, and other necessities. Learn from the past and do better as we build better.
