Medicaid work requirements and eligibility

Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program, also called Medical Assistance, provides insurance coverage for approximately 3 million people, including one in four adults and 39% of children, according to state data.

Work requirements proposed in the federal budget bill would apply to adults ages 19 to 64. They would have to work at least 80 hours a month and provide documented proof to state agencies in order to stay in the program.

States may have exemptions for people with children and those with disabilities, as well as adults who are sole caregivers, in school or pregnant.

Joanna Rosenhein, of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, said that people will get cut from the program and lose coverage, even when they are meeting the work and income requirements, because of issues with missing or incomplete documentation and paperwork.

“Most people on Medicaid are already working,” Rosenheim said. “The rest are either caregivers, students, people with disabilities or severe health conditions, and those people will be at risk of losing their coverage because of paperwork requirements.”

Processing additional paperwork and carrying out more eligibility checks and renewals would fall to the states.

“The state is already overwhelmed,” she said, “and this will only add to their burden.”

Alisha Gillespie, of Chester, Pennsylvania, called the proposed cuts and requirements “inhumane” and said it would have been “impossible” to comply when she had Medicaid last year while battling breast cancer and raising three children.

“[There were] days that I couldn’t even get out of bed to make dinner, to even go to the bathroom,” she said. “So, I can’t imagine having even a part-time job to even try to make ends meet for surgeries or any type of treatment.”

Wednesday, May 28, is National Hamburger Day, an unofficial holiday that celebrates America’s favorite sandwich.

The origins of National Hamburger Day are unclear. The National Day Calendar says the origin of the hamburger itself is surrounded in controversy, but that it most likely first appeared in the 19th or early 20th centuries and has grown in popularity over the years.

There are many spots in Pennsylvania cooking up delicious burgers.

This Philadelphia Brewery might not specialize in the burger, but its standalone “Hygge Burger,” with both ground chuck ad brisket beef, sharp cheddar, bibb lettuce, red onion, garlic-dill pickles and special “Hygge Sauce” on a brioche bun. Take it to the next level by adding bacon or a fried egg, or go vegetarian with a patty made with mushroom and barley, topped with homemade bread-and-butter pickles and cabbage slaw.

Bar Hygge, pronounced “hyoo-guh,” is located at 1720 Fairmount Ave. Hygge is a Danish word that means “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.” It touts 4.6 stars out of 601 reviews on Google.

Back to National Hamburger Day…here’s a list of some freebies and specials being offered by restaurants in the Keystone State:

Buffalo Wild Wings: On Wednesday, the participating locations are offering any burger at half price, including the All-American Cheeseburger and the Triple Bacon Cheeseburger (offer good for takeout or delivery using the promo code GOBURGER on the app; not valid for dine-in orders).

Burger King: Free hamburger with a $1 purchase for rewards club members on Wednesday.

Checkers & Rally’s Drive-In: Through Friday, the Cheese Double combo costs $3.

Dairy Queen: Through Sunday, rewards club members who buy Signature Stackburger get a second one free. The deal is available on the DQ mobile app.

Friendly’s: Through Saturday, join the fast-food chain’s rewards program on the app get a free Founder’s Burger.

Perkins: The chain’s National Hamburger Month special continues through Saturday. The Great American Burger Trio — a cheeseburger, fries and pie— costs $9.99.

Shake Shack: Through Sunday, get a free ShackBurger with a $10 or more purchase (order in the Shack app, online or in-Shack kiosks; use code BURGERMONTH).

Smashburger: On Wednesday, any single burger costs $5.28 (offer good at participating locations nationwide; redeem the deal in-store or through Smashburger’s website and app with the code JUST528).

Wendy’s: From Wednesday through Sunday, customers using the Wendy’s app can get a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger for a penny with any other purchase.

White Castle: Throughout May, the chain is celebrating National Hamburger Month with special offers, including a “Slider-bration” event where sliders sell for 25 cents, along with other promotions.

Sources for this report are USA Today, Finance Buzz and restaurant websites.