Yesterday, Governor Beebe publicly announced his support for extending Medicaid to those who would qualify under the Affordable Care Act. The list of supporters is growing.

We are glad our Governor agrees with us that this is the right thing to do for Arkansas. We know that Medicaid and ARKids First help kids stay healthy and succeed in school, it eases parents’ minds when their children need care, and it takes care of families during hard times. However, many adults in Arkansas are unable to access affordable health coverage. Arkansas has one of the most restrictive Medicaid programs in the country, and income limits are very low for non-disabled parents to qualify for Medicaid. Non-disabled childless adults don’t qualify for Medicaid at all. This limited eligibility for Medicaid means that, in some counties in our state, about half of lower-income adults age 19-64 are uninsured. Add to that private insurance premiums averaging almost $12,000 per family in Arkansas, and it can be very hard to afford health coverage.

Thankfully, the Affordable Care Act will help families access affordable health coverage. Arkansas can help a quarter of a million uninsured adults access coverage if the state takes the opportunity to extend Medicaid to those who earn up to 138% of the poverty level as the law allows. This would set income cutoffs for Medicaid at $15,414 for an individual or $31,809 for a family of four.

If the Arkansas legislature does not choose to extend Medicaid during the upcoming 2013 legislative session, hundreds of thousands of Arkansans will remain without an option for affordable health coverage. Low-income adults do not qualify for subsidies to purchase private plans through the Health Insurance Exchanges that will help higher-income families afford coverage. Many of our neighbors will be left out in the cold when it comes to their health coverage and care.

AACF applauds Governor Beebe’s endorsement for extending Medicaid to uninsured Arkansans. In addition to helping our neighbors stay healthy, extending Medicaid will actually make money for the state over the first six years. In fact, for the first three years of the program (2014 – 2016), the federal government will pick up the entire cost for these newly eligible Medicaid enrollees. This allows us to get sicker Arkansans healthy before the state has to start picking up 10% of the tab in 2020. Additionally, hospitals will have help paying for those patients who, today, come to the Emergency Room with no insurance. This helps local hospitals remain an integral part of the business community, keeping jobs in town.

Extending Medicaid is the right thing to do, just as covering children through the ARKids First Program is the right thing to do. It’s a bonus that it will help local communities stay strong while making money for the state, too. (Take a look at this fact sheet from the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement for more detailed stats).

We are in good company with our support of Governor Beebe’s endorsement. Check out the growing list of organizations who have publicly endorsed extending Medicaid to low-income families in our state.

The Arkansas Medical Society

Community Health Centers of Arkansas

Arkansas State Board of Health

Arkansas Hospital Association

Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Chancellor Dan Rahn

Medicaid Director Andy Allison, Surgeon General Joe Thompson and Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel

The Arkansas Minority Health Commission

The American Cancer Society