SB278
To Terminate The Arkansas Health And Opportunity For Me Program; And To Transfer All Beneficiaries In The Arkansas Home And Opportunity For Me Program To The Traditional Arkansas Medicaid Program.
Last Action (May 1, 2023): Sine Die adjournment
Sponsors
AI-Generated Summary
Senate Bill 278 aims to terminate the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me (ARHOME) program, a Medicaid expansion initiative. The bill mandates that the Department of Human Services transfer all current ARHOME beneficiaries into the traditional Arkansas Medicaid program. This transfer is scheduled to begin on July 1, 2023, with the formal termination of the ARHOME program set for December 31, 2024. The legislation repeals the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Act of 2021, including related trust funds and administrative provisions. Furthermore, it directs the Governor to submit the necessary federal waivers and state plan amendments to facilitate this transition. The bill outlines that the state will notify enrollees of these changes and ensure the continuity of their coverage under the traditional Medicaid framework.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries are individuals currently enrolled in the ARHOME program who will remain covered under the traditional Medicaid system, ensuring they do not lose access to essential health services. Additionally, advocates of traditional, fee-for-service government health programs benefit from the consolidation of coverage under a single system, and state administrators may benefit from the elimination of the complex regulatory and reporting structures inherent in the ARHOME model.
Who Might Suffer?
The bill negatively impacts entities and stakeholders associated with the current ARHOME model, including private health insurance carriers that participate in the marketplace by offering qualified health plans to ARHOME members. Community bridge organizations, which were specifically authorized and funded under the ARHOME Act to address social needs, rural healthcare access, and economic independence initiatives, may face loss of funding, institutional status, or organizational purpose due to the program's repeal.
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