More than half of Arkansans on Medicaid would be dropped from coverage under a plan by Congressional leaders to cut the nation’s deficit. An Urban Institute study projects that 52 percent of those enrolled in Medicaid in Arkansas would...
During the past year, as the entire nation has been focused on the country’s continuing economic problems, Medicaid and CHIP have continued to play a central role in providing coverage to millions of people who would otherwise lack affordable...
Bureaucratic red tape keeping thousands of Arkansas children who qualify for ARKids First from enrolling or staying on the program is one step closer to being cut. Sen. Jeffress has introduced Senate Bill 65. We’ll have more details on...
Since beginning our discussion on health reform, we’ve referenced the new health exchange system that will be established in every state by January of 2014. But what exactly are exchanges and what impact will they have on the healthcare...
We’ve worked hard to try and make clear the many reasons health reform is a major win for Arkansas (see previous blog posts here, here and here). Among policymakers and politicians, it’s hard to go long without hearing about...
“What does this mean to me?” is the question we most commonly hear on the news about health reform. What’s often lost is how many things go into effect this year. Thanks again to our friends at Georgetown Health...
Health reform is a major victory for Arkansas children and families. It delivers what families need: affordable, reliable health coverage that won’t disappear if they lose a job or get sick. What, specifically, does the bill passed late last...
This week the Senate passed the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 (H.R.4213), which includes a 6-month extension of extra federal help for state Medicaid programs facing recession-induced growth in the number of people relying on...
Last week the General Assembly finished up their first ever fiscal session–but not before getting language attached to the Medicaid budget ensuring that any major changes to eligibility or services will be run through the legislature. We mentioned in...
Lawmakers have been fast and furiously passing appropriations bills since the fiscal session began, in an attempt to meet their deadline of closing the session by month’s end. Appropriations bills set maximum spending levels for each state agency budget....