18,164 off Medicaid in 6 months of work rule

The first six months of the work requirement for Arkansas’ Medicaid program ended with 18,164 people being kicked off for noncompliance, including more than 1,200 who lost coverage Jan. 1, the state reported Tuesday.

The enrollees who have lost coverage so far represent about 47 percent of the 38,000 enrollees the state initially estimated would be subject to the requirement in 2018 and not automatically exempt based on information in state records.

The state phased in the requirement last year for Arkansas Works enrollees age 30-49 and began phasing it in this month for those age 19-29.

To meet the requirement, enrollees who don’t qualify for an exemption must spend 80 hours a month on work or other approved activities and report the hours using a state website or over the phone, an option that was added last month.

Read more: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/jan/16/18164-medicaid-6-months-work-rule/