Yesterday’s failed Senate vote on the Medicaid appropriation was critical to keeping hundreds of thousands of Arkansans insured. Earlier this week, we wrote about the devastating impact to the state budget, if the Medicaid appropriation bill does not pass with Arkansas Works (the Governor’s plan for Medicaid expansion). The state will have to come up with funds to make up for the more than $143 million gap in the budget as a result of rejecting federal dollars to help pay the costs of health care. Critical programs like pre-K, child welfare, and juvenile justice will be hit with deep funding cuts.

One of the biggest concerns is the uncertainty this creates for the health care system. The most direct impact will be more than 250,000 low-income adults losing coverage. Without this affordable health coverage program, they are left without other options for health coverage. Besides blocking Arkansas Works, failing to pass the Medicaid appropriation bill puts services at risk for the children enrolled in ARKids First, and for the aged, blind, and disabled who receive Medicaid coverage. Here’s a breakdown of children and adults who will lose access to health care:

• Over 400,000 low-income children
• Over 140,000 aged, disabled and blind Arkansans
• 11,000 elderly and disabled individuals receiving home and community-based services
• 10,000 very low-income parents/caregivers (earning less than $2,000 a year)

We would also be cutting Medicaid payments for services that are not paid by the Medicare program. We can’t afford to continue the political bickering about expanded health coverage, while forfeiting a healthy future for the most vulnerable children and families in our state.  

 The decision lawmakers make about the Medicaid appropriation will have far-reaching consequences. These consequences are very real for the families that will lose access to much-needed health care services.

-By Marquita Little, Health Policy Director @AACF

Note: This is the third in a series of AACF blog posts related to the Arkansas Budget crisis.