Don’t Let Arkansas Take Away Your Health Coverage — Again

Arkansas is asking the federal government to approve a new version of Medicaid work requirements that could impact your Medicaid coverage. This failed policy previously led to tens of thousands of Arkansans losing access to health care in 2018.

The new work requirements are being requested through an amendment demonstration for the Arkansas Home and Opportunity for Me (AR HOME) Program. Below are some important points about the proposed Medicaid work requirements. If you are worried about yourself or someone you love losing coverage, you can submit comments to the federal government here outlining your concerns. The deadline to submit a public comment is May 10, 2025.

• Work requirements take away health coverage, making it less likely for people to be able work. When Arkansas tried this before in 2018, over 18,000 people lost their insurance in just seven months. Nearly all of them were already working or qualified for an exemption.
• These policies punish people who are already doing their best. Shift workers, people with disabilities, caregivers, and students are especially at risk — even one paperwork mistake could cost them their coverage.
• Medicaid is a vital program that helps people stay healthy enough to work. Taking Medicaid coverage away only creates more barriers for people trying to find or keep a job.
• The new proposal is even more confusing and dangerous. It relies on vague rules and an untested algorithm to decide whether someone is “on track” — and could suspend your health coverage if you don’t meet unclear standards.
• One person could decide your fate. If the algorithm determines you are not “on track,” then a “Success Coach” will be assigned to you. You will be expected to communicate with your Success Coach at least once a month. The Success Coach then has the power to decide if you are on track from that point on, even if you’re doing your best. With no clear rules, one person might lose coverage while another with the same circumstances doesn’t.
• Suspending coverage is the same as taking it away. If you can’t see a doctor or get prescriptions because your coverage is suspended, then your coverage has been effectively terminated.
• This proposal wastes taxpayer money. Instead of helping people, it would grow government bureaucracy and create more red tape — while families struggle with high costs of caring for their families.

Call to Action

Tell federal officials how this proposal could hurt you or your community. Submit your comments here by May 9, 2025 to stop harmful Medicaid work requirements. Feel free to use some of the information from the bullet points above when writing your comments.

To learn more about the Medicaid work requirement, read the state’s full proposal here.