Beebe, Dismang To Speak At Health Care Coalition Rally For Expansion

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 221 views 

A coalition known as the AR HEALTH + AR JOBS Coalition will host a rally on the capitol steps on Thursday (March 7) to support “expanding access to affordable health care coverage for low-income Arkansans.”

Speakers include Gov. Mike Beebe (D) and State Senator Jonathan Dismang (R-Beebe), who have been on opposite sides of the Medicaid expansion debate in recent weeks. Last week, that apparently changed after the breakthrough announcement that federal health officials will allow Arkansas flexibility in spending Medicaid expansion funds on private insurance plans in the forthcoming federal health insurance exchanges.

Other speakers include Ray Hanley, CEO of Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, who chairs the coalition.  A contact for the group says there are more than two dozen members in its coalition and more will be revealed on Thursday. Several other health care and consumers are slated to speak at the rally.

The event will be held on Thursday, March 7 at 11:30 am on the capitol steps.