Legislators tackle health care with Extraordinary Session

Legislators tackle health care with Extraordinary Session

We gathered back in the House chamber last week for what was, as expected, a brief session to address health care.

The only bill before us in this Extraordinary Session is what is being called Arkansas Works.

Arkansas Works would replace the Private Option.

It would still continue to use the private insurance marketplace, but with significant changes.

One of the changes would direct anyone on the program who does not have an income to the Department of Workforce Services for work training opportunities and job search efforts.

It also requires participants to receive an annual wellness exam.

The legislation passed the Insurance and Commerce committee this afternoon. It now goes before the full House for a vote.

When the consultants hired by Health Reform Task Force this year presented their report they wrote: “There can be no doubt about the impact of the PO on the health care and health insurance landscape of Arkansas. With nearly 250,000 Arkansans now covered through this plan, it has fundamentally transformed the service delivery structure and uncompensated care, and added new health care providers across the state. Over $1 billion in new federal funds is now entering the Arkansas health care economy annually, and this is having a transformative effect on both the health care sector and the entire state.”

Testimony provided today Arkansas Works or continue with Medicaid Expansion, the state will need to find an additional $150 million a year to balance the budget. UAMS also testified that without this legislation in cuts.

This session is expected to last three days. We will then reconvene on April 13 for our Fiscal Session which sets the budget.

You can watch this process on our websitewww.arkansashouse.org.

the hospital would need to make $65 million

From State Representative Deborah Ferguson