Arkansas governor nearing decision on Medicaid cancelations

The governor’s office on Monday said he’ll announce Tuesday what the next step will be.

Of the almost 48,000 Arkansans that will have received Medicaid termination notices by the end of this month, DHS has said 97 percent either failed to respond to the income verification letter in time or DHS failed to process their paperwork in a timely manner. Business as usual is not acceptable. “We have to plan for the future”. They include requiring some beneficiaries to pay part of the premiums and encouraging work by those on the program.

Hutchinson said the state should end coverage of non-emergency medical transportation for those on the program, and pursue a “global waiver” that would give Arkansas more flexibility in how it uses Medicaid money.

Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Benton, speaks at a legislative…

The co-chairman of the task force said he wanted to take a further look at the governor’s ideas and the possible financial impact.

He said most of the changes have been allowed in other states. Continuing it, however, will cost the state $50 million to $60 million a year starting in 2020, he said.

The push comes with the United states.S.us government has threaten sections of the country traveling to defund girls’ health and fitness association Planned Parenthood that they can maintain clash with central legislation.

Hutchinson told the panel that if it doesn’t want to leave the current enrollees without coverage, then care can be paid for either through Medicaid expansion or through the state’s budget.

See Thursday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full coverage.