According to Former Governor Scott Walker, all adults without children in Wisconsin should be subjected to mandatory drug testing to qualify for Medicaid. This is not the right way to go, and it will be a big nightmare for the Wisconsin healthcare system. 

Subjecting adults to drug testing is the wrong move. It is a costly procedure that wastes taxpayer money and yields very few positive results. In recent years, seven states with the drug screening program spent a total of $1 million, and in six of those states, fewer than 1% tested positive. Tying an inappropriate procedure to life-saving and crucial health benefits is a significant stumbling block to the healthcare system's success. It weakens the Medicaid program and further limits access to health care. 

Former Governor Walker argued that drug screening is a measure to help citizens lead a healthy life and to support a productive workforce. Of all the ways the administration could help to fight substance abuse, threatening eligibility for the Medicaid program is the worst. There is much to learn from the history of public assistance policies, which clearly shows that measures like this can be the root cause of a vicious cycle of stigmatization. 

The policy is also racially discriminatory, with 26% of citizens in Wisconsin who are Medicaid beneficiaries identifying as black or Hispanic. It further stigmatizes persons incorrectly with drug problems and persons who qualify for government assistance. This threatens the whole program, and it could lead to its premature end. 

There is no reason to believe that Medicaid beneficiaries are more likely to be substance abusers. Those seeking substance abuse treatment are more likely to avoid the Medicaid program. This is a terrible problem, given the rampant substance abuse and opioid crisis nationwide.

Many depend on the Medicaid program, and enacting unnecessary hurdles that limit access to those who need help with things like mandatory drug testing is a hindrance to the effectiveness of the Medicaid program overall and can only hurt the citizens of Wisconsin.