Medicaid work rule leaves homeless people in the cold
A homeless man in Montana faces potential loss of Medicaid coverage due to new federal work requirements. While the policy includes exemptions for disabilities, homelessness is not currently recognized as a qualifying medical condition.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between welfare reform policies and the practical realities faced by vulnerable populations struggling with health and housing instability.
MISSOULA, Mont. — Tywon Pugh has seizures that make it hard to find and keep a job.
"They called me a 'liability to the job site,'" Pugh said, recalling the words of his manager when a seizure cost him his last job at a fast-food restaurant in this western Montana city.
When the 46-year-old lost work in the past, his wife of 10 years covered their rent and he tended to their home until he found another job. But his wife died last year. Soon after, Pugh became homeless. His problem with alcohol became worse, which made managing his seizures more difficult.
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"When she died, my whole base was depleted," Pugh said.
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