Arkansas scraps Medicaid coverage for thousands of individuals

[left-of-center2012]

Source: The Hill

Arkansas has removed thousands of individuals from its Medicaid program for failing to comply with work requirements — a first in the 53-year history of the federal health insurance program for the poor.

More than 4,300 Medicaid recipients in Arkansas have lost coverage after failing to meet the state's new work requirements, which were approved by the Trump administration and took effect in June.

“Personal responsibility is important. We will continue to do everything we can to ensure those who qualify for the program keep their coverage, but it is equally important that we make sure those who no longer qualify are removed," said Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

In Arkansas, the work requirements only apply to Medicaid beneficiaries between the ages of 19 and 49 who gained coverage through ObamaCare's Medicaid expansion.

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/406362-arkansas-boots-thousands-from-medicaid-program-over-work-requirements

[Hortensis]

1. Study data on the 4300 to come, hopefully,

as we follow this situation.

[slumcamper]

2. Consider this

Iowa--the privatization of Medicaid administration has been a train wreck.

My 33-year old daughter lost her husband of 4 years, killed in a freak accident nearly 2 years ago; a deer lunged out of the ditch, crashed through the windshield, killing him instantly while on a salmon fishing trip. The kids were almost 3 years old (accident was 3 days prior to her 3rd BD), and 15 months. She was at the time--and remains--a part-time teacher, fully certified, but not wanting or, now, able to work full-time with children so young...especially with their emotional needs in the wake of losing daddy.

As private firms took their bite out of the Medicaid pie, then abandoned people, the paperwork has been nothing short of frustrating for my daughter. Yet, for all the inadequacies attendant with Iowa's cruel privatization experiment, it has still been a blessing to her and my grandkids.

Now this. Not sure how this will play out here, but I better be checking it out.

[Doreen]

3. How incapable to work does someone have to be to not

"qualify' for this work for Medicaid? If you are blind, deaf, have no right arm, and no left leg what are you supposed to do? Is this person going to get kicked off. I know this is unrealistic but there are people who are just as equally incapable of working. Not being able to work is why a lot of these people are on Medicaid.

[haele]

13. The work requirement is for "those people". Especially the single parents.

It's a catch-22; you're supposed to work enough that the 80 hours minimum wage you might be able to work a month will cut into your SNAP or WIC assistance to maintain health, child care, and maybe section 8 assistance. You know there's never enough child care assistance that goes to working people who need it; that's one of the primary reasons most people I know with kids end up losing their jobs and going on assistance.
"Personal Responsibility" is code for "if you were stupid or sinful enough that you're in a position you can't pay your own way, just go away...Poverty is God's Punishment."

Ultimately, GOP types all believe that God Forbid poor folks have any right to get a little bit of ease to their suffering - or an actual opportunity to improve themselves.

Haele

[Doreen]

14. The only sense this makes is that it is

made solely to hurt people.

[Chickensoup]

4. Health care is a right not a privilege.

If government insist that it not a right
then we should tell the government
that taxing us is not a right but a privilege.
No taxation without representation.
Wake up will you !!!

[Solly Mack]

5. "Personal responsibility is important."

Snort

Asa Hutchinson remains as big a piece of shit as ever.

[YOHABLO]

7. Yep! What a jackass. I know I shouldn't 'hate' but I really hate the Republican Party.

Republican = Nazi

[StepnKretchit]

6. This stinks to high heaven.

One problem seems to be that the only way to report that one has worked is through the internet. There are many people without internet access in Arkansas. Hopefully, it will go the way of the Kentucky work requirements. Also, why are only the people who signed up through ObamaCare obligated to meet the requirements? That alone should make the work requirements unconstitutional, in my very humble opinion.

[deurbano]

8. "God has given me a great responsibility & opportunity. I want to be a good steward & reflect well

on Him & our state."

Link to tweet

I must have missed the part where Jesus required proof of employment (or documentation of whatever they are now deeming sufficient effort towards that end) before healing the sick.

[Equinox Moon]

9. My compassion for those affected. Their lives just changed!

Hang in there folks. Many are on your side.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

10. Kick

[appalachiablue]

11. K & R

[Nitram]

12. Arkansas: leading the way into a brave new future.

[CatWoman]

15. kick