Home aide shortage threatens care for developmentally disabled Arkansans

In December, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced a plan to bring relief to thousands of families stuck on a waiting list for Medicaid-funded services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Under the governor’s plan, Arkansas will spend an additional $37.6…

State sanctions Empower, says Medicaid managed care company ‘misrepresented’ facts

The Arkansas Department of Human Services has suspended new enrollment for Empower Healthcare Solutions, a managed care organization serving about 20,000 Medicaid beneficiaries with intellectual or developmental disabilities, behavioral health disorders or both. Empower is one of four Provider-led Arkansas…

Arkansas eases Medicaid rules to maintain coverage during COVID-19 pandemic

As the COVID-19 crisis unfolds, the Arkansas Department of Human Services is relaxing certain policies that have led to the removal of tens of thousands of Arkansans from the state’s Medicaid rolls in recent years. Around 11,000 beneficiaries whose coverage was terminated at the end of last month have now been reinstated. Many more will be reinstated as the state works to implement guidance from the federal government.

Assisted living facilities warn 21.7 percent rate cut will force closures

“I’ve seen over the years just how many people have benefited from assisted living. It saved them from going to the nursing home when it wasn’t safe for them to live at home,” Riedel said. The rate cut will push “more and more people into nursing facilities that shouldn’t be there."

Work requirement drops another 4,100 Arkansans from Medicaid in October

In a report released Monday, the state Department of Human Services said it had terminated the health insurance of another 4,109 individuals due to Governor Hutchinson's work requirement for certain beneficiaries of Arkansas Works, the state's Medicaid expansion program for low-income adults. Those people are now barred from Arkansas Works until Jan. 1.

The Arkansas Nonprofit News Network is an independent, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to producing journalism that matters to Arkansans. Our work is re-published by partner newsrooms across the state.