To stay on Medicaid, Arkansas is requiring ppl to log 80 working hours per month, ONLINE. Even tho low-income & older people have some of lowest internet adoption rates in the US #digitaldividecitylab.com/equity/2018/08…
In the 1st month of the new system, 26% of the state's Medicaid recipients failed to successfully report.
Just like patronizing work requirements, politicians are exploiting the #DigitalDivide to make benefits less accessible for poor folks & elders.
This may be my favorite: "The website only accepts reports between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m." Why? The internet is 24/7 -- for those who can access & afford it. Why make the system online-only and not take advantage of that? #DigitalDivide
Internet access is a necessity -- an expensive necessity largely controlled by a duopoly industry that has no intention of serving our needs. We need to bridge the #DigitalDivide, not allow politicians to use it to reinforce economic, racial & generational divides.
Thought I was done but I'm not. Right now the @FCC is trying to gut Lifeline, a program that actually makes internet access more affordable for low-income folks (incl. ppl on Medicaid). Tell the FCC to knock it off & help @freepress to #SaveLifeline here: savelifeline.org
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