U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander opposes work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents who receive Medicaid benefits—a position rejected by a solid majority of voters both in New Hampshire and nationwide.
Goodlander addressed the issue, and her vote against the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” during an appearance Tuesday on The Jack Heath Radio Show.
“I’m all for reasonable requirements in any federal program, reasonable measures to make sure that we are really cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse,” Goodlander said. “The system is not perfect, but it is designed to root out waste, fraud, and abuse.”
However, she argued that a work requirement simply “imposes… red tape” on people who rely on Medicaid.
“When you look at states that have imposed measures like the one in [the One Big, Beautiful Bill], it ends up costing the taxpayer more. And it really doesn’t address the core problem that people say they’re trying to address with these measures,” she said.
But voters disagree.
A recent NHJournal/Praecones Analytica poll found that 64 percent of New Hampshire respondents support work requirements for able-bodied adults receiving Medicaid, while just 20 percent disapprove. A national poll conducted in May found that 73 percent of likely voters support requiring able-bodied adults with no young children at home to work, train, or volunteer at least part-time to maintain Medicaid eligibility.
Medicaid, originally created to serve low-income children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, has expanded significantly under the Affordable Care Act to cover millions of able-bodied, working-age adults without dependents. With the post-COVID surge in enrollment, Republicans argue it’s long past time to reform the program.
Democrats like Goodlander and U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas contend that requiring work for these adults amounts to “stripping” Granite Staters of their health care.
Supporters counter that work requirements not only reduce dependence on government aid but also help individuals gain the structure, purpose, and income that employment provides.
In Arkansas, for example, the state reported a decrease in Medicaid enrollment among able-bodied adults after implementing work requirements—before courts blocked the policy. And contrary to claims about excessive bureaucracy, the Foundation for Government Accountability noted that during Arkansas’s pilot program, “enrollees only had to report work once, and it was easy to do so.”
Last month, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a report on the House bill, estimating that 4.8 million recipients would fail to comply with its part-time work requirement.
Advocates of the policy say that well-crafted work requirements—with exemptions for caregivers, individuals with disabilities, and full-time students—can balance compassion with accountability. With Medicaid spending projected to surpass $800 billion annually by the end of the decade, Republicans insist reforms are necessary to ensure the program’s long-term sustainability.
“Granite Staters believe in work, responsibility, and fairness. Maggie Goodlander’s comments show just how out of touch she is with her constituents, once again putting her DC agenda ahead of New Hampshire values,” said NRCC Spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole.
