Special Session includes special focus on Health Care

Special Session includes special focus on Health Care

As many of you know we are set to convene again today for a special session addressing health care.

Several proposed changes will be made to the Arkansas Works program, formerly known as the Private Option. We now have 268,000 enrollees in the program. This program uses federal Medicaid dollars to pay premiums for private market health insurance for the Arkansans with the lowest income.

The proposed changes would cap eligibility at 100 percent of federal poverty level. Currently, it is capped at 138 percent of Federal Poverty Level. To give a perspective, 100 percent of Federal Poverty Level currently is a family of 4 bringing in $24,600 a year. A family of four making 138 percent of federal poverty level makes $33,000 year.

Under the new draft legislation, families and individuals making over 100 percent of FPL would be directed to the marketplace where they can keep their coverage but pay a small premium. I will be important for these individuals and families to make arrangements to pay this premium. If the premium goes unpaid for 90 days they will not have health insurance for the remainder of the year and cannot re-enroll until November for 2019. It will be important for this group to go to the marketplace at healthcare.gov and look at policies to get the best subsidy and the lowest premium.

Another new element is to establish a work requirement, similar to other federal assistance programs such as SNAP. This will include able-bodied adults under 50 years of age.

Those who cannot find employment can satisfy the requirement by participating in job training programs, volunteer work, or GED classes.

More than 70,000 of the participants have been referred to the Department of Workforce Services this year for job training.

It will be important for these individuals to log their work on a state portal so they will continue to have health insurance.

We hope to require some personal responsibility in order to receive free healthcare.

The legislation looks to strengthen employer-sponsored insurance. Proposed legislation would do this by implementing a program that helps small employers offer affordable health insurance to their employees. We also hope to make Arkansas an assessment state instead of a determination state so that we determine our own Medicaid eligibility.

Arkansas is currently paying 5 percent of the cost for Arkansas Works. Our share gradually increases to 10 percent by 2020.

The Department of Human Services estimates these changes will save the state between $67 and $93 million over the next 5 years.

These changes will be considered carefully over the next several days. As Vice-Chair of Public Health, I have been reviewing the draft legislation over the past few weeks.

The federal government will ultimately have to approve the changes before they take effect.

During the special session, we are also expected to take up two bills to correct errors in ethics and marijuana legislation.

The Governor is expected to address the legislature in the House chamber as we begin the special session. It begins at 1:30 pm today.

You can watch live at www.arkansashouse.org

From State Representative Deborah Ferguson