Arkansas Private Option Enrollment Keeps Growing, GAO Says Not Revenue-Neutral
by September 8, 2014 7:30 pm 88 views
From Colleen Mayo with our content partner, KUAR FM 89.1 News:
Almost 200,000 people have signed up for the Medicaid expansion program — the “Private Option” — aimed at extending health care coverage to low-income Arkansans. But a new federal government analysis says the program may cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Arkansas Department of Human Services said Monday that 194,257 people have completed enrollment.
Spokeswoman Amy Webb said they expect the number to continue to increase.
“From our perspective, interest in the program continues to be strong and we think the private option is working as it was anticipated,” she said.
“We do anticipate there are more people eligible for the program who have not applied…so we expect to see continued interest.”
The agency said the majority of enrollees are between the ages of 19 and 44.
The program’s future will depend on whether the state Legislature reauthorizes the program when it meets early next year.
A federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Monday said Arkansas’ private option will not be revenue-netural and could, in fact, cost taxpayers $778 million over the next three years.
Beebe administration officials disputed the findings and said the state was never contacted for any input to better understand how Arkansas’ program is designed.