by - July 6, 2015 8:41 pm
Steve Brawner: Reforming Health Care Reform
During the next two years, the most important number in Arkansas health care may be 1332. That’s a section of the Affordable Care Act, the one that created Obamacare, that,…
Author: Steve Brawner
by - July 6, 2015 8:00 pm
Three Questions (Four, Actually) With Sen. Jim Hendren
Today begins an ongoing feature on Talk Business & Politics’ health channel, “Three Questions,” where health leaders and policy makers are asked to respond to three questions about important health…
by - July 6, 2015 7:21 pm
Baptist Health Partners With After-Hours Provider
Baptist Health is partnering with Urgent Team, an independent extended hours medical provider, to open a new Baptist Health Urgent Care facility in North Little Rock, with more on the…
by - July 3, 2015 3:35 am
Number Of Private Option Enrollees Climbs
The number of enrollees in the Medicaid private option reached 218,376 at the end of June, an increase of about 4,000 from May, when it totaled 214,461. The number of…
by - June 29, 2015 7:27 pm
Legislators Told Arkansas Still Needs State Exchange
Arkansas should continue its efforts to establish a state-based insurance exchange, the executive director of the state’s Health Insurance Marketplace said, even though a recent Supreme Court ruling makes it less necessary to do so.
by - June 29, 2015 1:01 pm
Gov. Hutchinson: No Discretion For County Clerks On Gay Marriage Licenses
County clerks do not have discretion when it comes to issuing same-sex marriage licenses, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Monday. Hutchinson made the statement after being asked about social media comments…
by - June 29, 2015 1:00 pm
Arkansas, Vietnamese Province Sign Trade Memo
Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam’s Dong Nai Province Monday, a day before the province was to announce the opening of a trade office in Bentonville….
by - June 25, 2015 5:36 pm
U.S. Chamber Executive: Raise Gas Tax For Roads
The federal government should spend more money on highways, and the best way to do that in the short term is by raising the gas tax, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce executive says.
by - June 24, 2015 8:53 pm
Levees In Arkansas Unmaintained, With No State Oversight
Many of Arkansas’ levees are not being maintained. Taxes are being collected but not being spent for that purpose. No one is overseeing the situation because of state law and…
by - June 24, 2015 8:46 pm
State Road Funding Group Meets Amidst More Highway Department Bid Cutbacks
Gov. Asa Hutchinson called on his appointed Working Group for Highway Funding to be creative but also to work within political realities on Wednesday, the same day that the Arkansas…
by - June 23, 2015 7:38 pm
Governor: PARCC Destined To Go Away
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday that Arkansas is destined to stop using the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam, so it needs to move away from it as soon as possible.
by - June 23, 2015 7:17 pm
Gov. Hutchinson Touts European Trip To Little Rock Rotary Club
Final discussions that led to the announced 85-job expansion at Calhoun County’s Aerojet Rocketdyne facility occurred during Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s trip to the Paris Air Show last week, Hutchinson said…
by - June 23, 2015 1:17 pm
Highway Funding Group Follows Blue Ribbon’s Footsteps
On Wednesday, the 20-member Working Group on Highway Funding will hold its first meeting to discuss the state’s road funding options. Six years ago, the Blue Ribbon Committee on Highway Finance did the same thing.
by - June 22, 2015 5:22 pm
Citing Memo, Gov. Hutchinson Orders PARCC Withdrawal
Gov. Asa Hutchinson has directed the Department of Education to withdraw Arkansas from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) consortium, despite a vote June 11 by the State Board of Education to keep Arkansas in the consortium.
by - June 19, 2015 9:09 am
Report: Treat Mentally Ill, Don’t Imprison Them
Diverting offenders with mental illness into treatment instead of incarcerating them could save Arkansas $140 million a year, according to a rough estimate in a new report issued Thursday by…
by - June 18, 2015 7:09 am
Study: Traditional Schools Outpace Charters In Funding
Traditional schools received an average of $2,706 more per pupil than charter schools in 15 states in fiscal year 2011, a gap caused by traditional schools receiving more public funding,…
by - June 17, 2015 4:25 pm
State Considers Scenarios In Obamacare Court Ruling
It’s possible that by Thursday, a U.S. Supreme Court decision will result in 68,232 Arkansans losing insurance subsidies provided through the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. If that happens, state policymakers will have to decide how to respond.
by - June 11, 2015 4:01 pm
Group Pushes Tougher Term Limits
Arkansas Term Limits is submitting a ballot measure to the attorney general’s office that will restore the previous restrictions, plus add an overall limit of 10 years of service. Co-Chairs…
by - June 11, 2015 2:47 pm
Governor: Highway Funding Group To Meet, Baird To Chair
The Working Group on Highway Funding will have its first meeting June 24, and Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s former budget director, Duncan Baird, will serve as chairman. Hutchinson made both of…
by - June 11, 2015 5:16 am
State’s Medical Providers Unprepared For Costly Coding Switch
On Oct. 1, the coding system used by Arkansas medical providers for billing insurance companies and the government will change. Many providers probably won’t be ready, and if they aren’t, they will have trouble getting paid.