Medicaid Work Requirements in Arkansas: Experience and Perspectives of Enrollees
Issue Brief
CMS also has approved work requirement waivers in Kentucky, Indiana, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, with implementation expected in 2019. Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicaid Waiver Tracker: Approved and Pending Section 1115 Waivers by State (Dec. 7, 2018), https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-waiver-tracker-approved-and-pending-section-1115-waivers-by-state/.
For more information about state data matching and exemptions under Arkansas’ waiver, see Kaiser Family Foundation, An Early Look at Implementation of Medicaid Work Requirements in Arkansas (Oct. 2018), https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/an-early-look-at-implementation-of-medicaid-work-requirements-in-arkansas/.
In our October, 2018 case study, transportation was cited as a major barrier for enrollees throughout the state and especially in rural areas, and stakeholders also reported challenges with reaching enrollees by phone and email. See id.
The complaint was filed by three enrollees on August 14, 2018, and amended to add six more enrollees on November 5, 2018. Gresham v. Azar, No. 1:18-cv-01900-JEB (D.D.C.), https://healthlaw.org/resource/gresham-v-azar-complaint-legal-pleading/.
For additional information on the Kentucky case, see Kaiser Family Foundation, Explaining Stewart v. Azar: Implications of the Court’s Decision on Kentucky’s Medicaid Waiver (July, 2018), https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/explaining-stewart-v-azar-implications-of-the-courts-decision-on-kentuckys-medicaid-waiver/. HHS subsequently reopened the federal public comment period and re-approved Kentucky’s waiver. See Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicaid Waiver Tracker: Approved and Pending Waivers by State (Dec. 7, 2018), https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/medicaid-waiver-tracker-approved-and-pending-section-1115-waivers-by-state/.
The Arkansas Medicaid enrollees sued HHS. The state of Arkansas subsequently intervened in the lawsuit.
See, e.g., Gresham v. Azar, No. 1:18-cv-01900-JEB, Declaration of Adrian McGonigal (D.D.C. Nov. 5, 2018), document no. 27-7; Id., Declaration of Russell Cook , document no. 27-3; Id., Declaration of Treda Robinson, document no. 27-9.
Appendix
- Ark. Dep’t of Human Servs., AR Works Information, Notice Samples (modified Oct. 26 and Nov. 13, 2018), https://ardhs.sharepointsite.net/ARWorks/Notice_Samples/Forms/AllItems.aspx. The state also has posted two flyers, “AR Works Work Requirement Info” and “Healthcare Coverage Contact Info and Proof of Income Info.”