Medicaid work requirement plans announced for Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb.-- Nebraska is officially the first state in America to sign on to the Trump Administration's Medicaid work requirement rules. 

GOVERNOR JIM PILLEN WAS JOINED VIRTUALLY BY CENTERS FOR MEDICAID AND MEDICARE SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR AND FORMER TALK SHOW HOST DOCTOR MEHMET OZ IN A SIGNING CEREMONY AT THE STATE CAPITOL ON WEDNESDAY MORNING.

UNDER THE NEW RULE, "ABLE-BODIED" NEBRASKANS ON MEDICAID NOW HAVE TO MEET ON OF FOUR REQUIREMENTS. THEY HAVE TO BE EMPLOYED, IN SCHOOL, IN AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, OR VOLUNTEER A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS PER WEEK.

PILLEN ESTIMATED THE NEW RULES WILL AFFECT AROUND 30,000 NEBRASKANS.

"if a person is working for it on Medicaid, we are going to help the people," Pillen said. "what we're wanting to make sure we do is see who's on medicaid and not working and they're able-bodied. We want to lift them up and help them understand and be apart of our economy, lift them up and become better people."

THE MEDICAID REQUIREMENTS WERE SIGNED INTO LAW AS PART OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.