If Arkansas Works is where you get your health insurance coverage, remember that you no longer must report to the state the hours you spent working or in community engagement activities. This change was effective March 27 when a U.S. district judge struck down the work requirement. Your health insurance coverage has not changed, only the work and community engagement reporting requirement has ended.
Before the ruling, people with Arkansas Works’ health insurance who were not exempt had to report at least 80 hours a month of work, looking for work, schooling or community volunteering in order to keep their health insurance.
The court ruled that Arkansas should not have been given a waiver of Medicaid rules to require enrollees to work in order to get Arkansas Works. The judge said Congress established Medicaid to provide health care, not as a work program.
Arkansas Works – Arkansas’ Medicaid expansion program – provides health care coverage to Arkansans who are ages 19-64 with household incomes below 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, according to the number of family members living in the home. Eligible adults are enrolled in either a Qualified Health Plan or insurance through their job. The Arkansas Medicaid program pays most or all plan premiums. Enrollees may be responsible for co-pays for doctor visits, medicines and certain other health services, and a small part of the premium.
Who’s back on Medicaid?
This change in reporting came at the end of a potential lock-out period (affecting those who had not reported since Jan. 1, 2019). There may be confusion about who has coverage and who does not.
If you were locked-out of Arkansas Works in 2018:
- If your Arkansas Works coverage ended in 2018 because you did not report work/community involvement hours, you should have re-enrolled in January.
- If you did not re-enroll, you should contact Arkansas Works/Medicaid at 1-855-372-1084 to see if you are eligible to re-enroll.
If you had coverage as of Dec. 31, 2018:
- You still have coverage, unless you no longer meet income or age eligibility. If you had to report work/community engagement hours to the state, you no longer have to report hours.
Always report to the state any change in your eligibility status or change of address or phone number. Report the new information at access.arkansas.gov. This will help ensure your Medicaid health insurance coverage will continue and allows Medicaid to send you important messages about your coverage.
If you are newly eligible for Arkansas Works or regular Medicaid:
- You may apply at any time during the year. The sooner you apply, the sooner you’ll be covered.
Here’s how to apply for Arkansas Works health coverage:
- Go to the Department of Human Services (DHS) office in the county where you live. If you are not able to go, a family member or friend may apply for you.
- You must sign an application form and give certain information about yourself and your family, how much money you make, and any other money or property you own. The county DHS office will determine your eligibility.
- Bring with you the following information about yourself and each family member who lives with you:
- Proof of age (birth certificate or driver’s license or a birth record from the hospital)
- Paycheck stubs for everyone in your household who has a job
- Social Security card
- Letters or forms from Social Security, SSI, Veteran’s Administration, or other sources that show your income amount
- Insurance policies, including proof of other health insurance
- Bank books or other papers that show the amount of money and/or property you own
- You may also apply online You can print a Family Medicaid Application form, or call 1-800-482-8988 or your county DHS office for more information.
Don’t miss an important resource for which you and your family may be entitled. Contact the state today to find out if you’re eligible for Arkansas Works health insurance.
Photo by fizkes iStock / Getty Images Plus
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