Health Care, Culture & the Family

Restoring the dignity of work: Why Medicaid’s new requirement matters for families and culture

July 8, 2025

Matt Oberdick

Some truths are so foundational, they should never be controversial. One of them is this: Able-bodied adults should work—especially when the alternative is living off the labor of those who do.

Not because the government demands it. Not because it’s an arbitrary rule. But because work is a blessing. It’s not just economic—it’s moral and formative.

Work cultivates discipline. It teaches responsibility. It’s how we serve others, contribute to our communities, and shape our character. For generations, the dignity of work has been a cornerstone of the American story—a source of purpose, not just provision.

When public policy breaks the connection between work and reward, it doesn’t just squander resources—it sends the wrong message: that contribution is optional, responsibility is unnecessary, and self-respect is irrelevant. Worse, it can breed entitlement and a victim mentality—the belief that someone else owes you something, and that hardship is oppression rather than opportunity.

But good policy tells a different story. It calls people to rise. It restores purpose. And it helps rebuild the habits and virtues that make families, communities, and entire cultures flourish.

That’s why President Trump’s recent action matters.

A Work Requirement That Restores Dignity

On July 4, as Americans celebrated liberty and self-government, President Donald J. Trump signed into law his “One Big Beautiful Bill”—a legislative package that includes a long-overdue reform to our nation’s Medicaid program.

Under the new law, able-bodied, childless adults ages 19 to 64 must work at least 80 hours per month to remain eligible for Medicaid benefits. That’s just 20 hours per week—a modest, reasonable expectation.

And it doesn’t have to be paid employment. Individuals can meet the requirement through community service, job training, or attending school. The goal isn’t to punish—it’s to restore a sense of purpose while bringing fiscal responsibility to a strained system.

But this is about more than dollars and cents. It’s a cultural correction—one that distinguishes between supporting those in real need and enabling those who refuse to take ownership of their lives.

A safety net is exactly that: a temporary support to catch people in times of crisis or genuine hardship. It’s a bridge back to independence, not a permanent perch. Entitlement, by contrast, becomes a trap—fostering dependency, discouraging effort, and eroding dignity. Without guardrails, assistance becomes a barrier to growth rather than a stepping stone.

True compassion lifts people up. Good policy reflects this by encouraging responsibility and rewarding effort—restoring hope, pride, and purpose.

Laying the Groundwork for Stronger Families

Though the requirement applies specifically to childless adults, its ripple effects could be profound—especially for the future of the American family.

We don’t build strong families by encouraging prolonged adolescence, subsidized idleness, or delayed adulthood. We build them by calling people up into responsibility—into work, education, and service.

This is something I think about often as a father. I tell my oldest son all the time: “Hard work is a blessing.”

And to my younger two, I regularly say, “We can do hard things.” It’s not just a motivational phrase—it’s a mindset I want them to carry for life.

My oldest is an extremely intelligent kid. He excels in every subject at school. It comes easy to him. That’s not to say he doesn’t work hard—he genuinely does. He pushes himself and expects excellence. But the truth is, his brain just works fast. It comes naturally to him.

And as his dad, I know that his intellect alone won’t carry him through life. He needs to be challenged—not just academically, but physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He needs to face things—while he’s still under his mother’s and my supervision—that don’t come easily. Things at which he might even, dare I say, fail.

Just recently, he started mowing our backyard. It’s hot. It’s physical. It tests him in new ways. And that’s exactly the point. I want him to learn perseverance, follow-through, and the value of doing a job even when it’s uncomfortable or difficult.

Because that’s how a real work ethic is built. That’s how character is formed. And ultimately, that’s what prepares children to become adults who can carry the weight of a job, a home, and eventually, a family.

Policy can’t parent a child—but it can promote the values that make good parenting easier. This policy reinforces a cultural expectation that backs up what strong parents already teach: “Hard work matters. Taking responsibility matters. Contributing to your family and community matters.”

And for a society wrestling with declining marriage rates, fatherlessness, and generational poverty, reforms like this one offer something more than a government mandate. They offer hope for cultural renewal—anchored in the conviction that human beings are meant to create, to contribute, and to take ownership of their lives.

Good Policy Lifts People Up

This last election cycle made one thing clear: Americans are waking up to the fact that conservative principles—free enterprise, limited government, personal responsibility, and strong families—lead to human flourishing.

Progressive policies, by contrast, often promote bigger government, dependency, identity politics, and a culture of entitlement—undermining personal responsibility and weakening the social fabric. They rely on a misguided form of compassion and a shallow version of empathy.

True compassion seeks to uplift by encouraging growth, resilience, and self-reliance—not by fostering dependency. Genuine empathy empowers individuals to overcome hardship and build strong families, rather than enabling a cycle of reliance.

This reform reflects the kind of policy Americans voted for and that we need more of—policy that encourages productivity and independence.

Because we don’t help people by making it easier to do nothing. We help them by opening pathways to contribute and grow.

This law delivers a clear message:  We expect more from you—not out of harshness, but because we believe hard work is a blessing—and yes, you can do hard things. Work is good. You are capable. You are needed.