Azar Defends Medicaid Work Requirements, Block Grants In 2020 Budget

HHS Secretary Alex Azar defended President Donald Trump’s 2020 budget proposal to mandate uniform Medicaid work requirements nationwide, telling the House Energy & Commerce health subcommittee on Tuesday (March 12) that individuals who are employed are healthier, a claim rejected by House Democrats. He also defended the proposal’s emphasis on per-capita and block grants, which he said would re-prioritize the focus of Medicaid to those who need it. The budget request, released Monday (March 11), calls for cutting $1.5 trillion...