Why Work Requirements Hurt the Poor
“There’s been a lot of talk recently about adding work requirements for in-kind welfare programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance, and Medicaid, the health-care program for the poor. It’s perhaps understandable that policy makers want to limit the cost of these programs. Annual spending on SNAP has grown tremendously since the 2008-2009 financial crisis — from roughly $33 billion in 2007 to about $70 billion today. Medicaid is an even bigger expense — at more than $500 billion a year, it’s a major contributor to the U.S.’s widening budget deficit.”