Arkansas’s Medicaid expansion program for adults, known as ARHOME, helps keep our state’s labor force healthy. Having insurance protects part-time workers, caregivers, and lower-income families from financial hardship and provides peace of mind to many across the state. Medicaid allows people to receive regular checkups to stay healthy, see a doctor when they’re sick, and access the medications they need — all without breaking the bank.  

For far too many Arkansans, the cost of health care is out of reach, which can lead to delays in needed care. Affording quality health care has become more challenging across the Unites States in recent years, and this cost barrier is particularly steep in rural areas nationwide. This barrier is especially burdensome for working Arkansans, where the median household income is nearly $20,000 less than the national average. All Arkansans deserve health care, and Medicaid helps to bridge the gap between cost and care for people living and working in our state. 

More than half of Arkansans insured through ARHOME are employed; many of them are shift workers, caregivers, and students. Health is the strongest predictor of work status, and people in excellent or very good health are far more likely to participate in the workforce. Supporting the ARHOME Medicaid program is a proven way to help keep our workforce healthy. 

In addition to ensuring access to health care coverage, Arkansans insured through ARHOME have fewer emergency room visits, and hospitals experience reductions in uncompensated care costs. ARHOME provides critical access to life-saving treatments, peace of mind for Arkansas families, and helps maintain their financial stability and overall economic well-being. Medicaid empowers Arkansans to change jobs without losing insurance, care for their loved ones, pursue education, freelance, or build a small business. Medicaid plays a key role in Arkansas as a connection to care, a support to rural health providers, and a creator of jobs in our state.  

This Labor Day, we’re highlighting the positive impact that Medicaid has on the lives of working Arkansans and their families. Here is what our storytellers with lived experience had to say about the impact of Medicaid in Arkansas communities.  

Medicaid is an essential health insurance program that provides coverage to hundreds of thousands of Arkansans and their families who would otherwise be uninsured. No Arkansan should have to choose between getting the health care they need and keeping a roof over their heads. Medicaid makes a difference in your state, your county, your city, your neighborhood, and right next door. This Labor Day, we should all acknowledge the critical role that the Medicaid program plays in keeping our workforce strong and healthy.