Many critical programs that Arkansans rely on are under threat. In 2013, Arkansas passed an expanded Medicaid program that helped the state’s uninsured rate drop from 23% to just 11% by 2016. This expanded Medicaid program provided more Arkansans the security to no longer be one medical emergency away from bankruptcy and those with chronic illness the safety that consistent health care provides. But Arkansas’s expanded Medicaid program will likely be rolled-back and many people who counted on the program will lose coverage. Another important program, SNAP, also known as food stamps, has already been impacted by policies that will decrease access. What exactly are the proposed changes to Medicaid? How will changes to SNAP affect Arkansans? What can you do about these changes?
Bruno Showers, Health Policy Fellow at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families
Tomi Townley, Older Adult & SNAP Outreach Manager Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance
and Bill Kopsky, Executive Director at Arkansas Public Policy Panel