Poor women are expected to be hit the hardest after the Trump administration approved work requirements for Medicaid in South Carolina.

Earlier this year, South Carolina became one of more than a dozen states to ask President Donald Trump’s administration to make working a condition of getting Medicaid, a health insurance program for poor people. South Carolina this week became the first state without Medicaid expansion to enact work requirements.

Under the plan, recipients of Medicaid would have to work, volunteer or attend school for 80 hours a month to receive benefits.

The rules allow exceptions for pregnancy and other conditions.

In South Carolina, Medicaid covers about one in five people. Poor women are expected to be hit hardest by the new work rules.

Confirmed: Trump admin has approved work requirements for Medicaid recipients in South Carolina. It’s the first approval in a state that didn't expand Medicaid under the ACA – thus it mostly affects poor women. Work requirements elsewhere are on hold due to court battles.

— Abby Goodnough (@abbygoodnough) December 12, 2019

⚠️ SOUTH CAROLINA: CMS approves 1st-ever Medicaid work requirements for a NON-EXPANSION state…and even puts the kibosh on some fig leaf improvements the state included:https://t.co/N048s08LdW

— Charles #GetCovered-ba (@charles_gaba) December 12, 2019

NEW: I’m deeply disturbed to share that tmrw at 11am the Gov of SC has scheduled a press conference in Greenville likely to announce that SC will be the 1st non Medicaid expansion state in the nation to receive approval for a work requirement. This will only affect poor parents.

— Joan Alker (@JoanAlker1) December 11, 2019

I’m honored to be in the #PalmettoState today representing @POTUS Trump & his Administration as we work together with Governor @henrymcmaster & his team to improve #healthcare and transform #Medicaid. Looking forward to our discussions!

— Administrator Seema Verma (@SeemaCMS) December 12, 2019

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and legal efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. And unlike other news outlets, we’ve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Unhinged from billionaires and corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

We need your support to deepen our investigative reporting. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click to donate by check.

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Unhinged from corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

We need your support to keep producing quality journalism and deepen our investigative reporting. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.