Arkansas Calls Off Cost-Sharing Plan Connected to Alternative Medicaid Expansion Model

Arkansas, for now, has halted plans to impose cost-sharing measures on Medicaid beneficiaries who have incomes at or below the federal poverty level and are participating in the state's alternative expansion. Arkansas Department of Human Services Communications Director Amy Webb said, "We now know that the private option as it exists today will be replaced." She added, "We felt that it was not prudent to create this new piece for this population if we were just going to change it a year from now." Meanwhile, advocates have said the decision not to collect the payments from the lowest-income beneficiaries was made because of administrative costs.

• "Arkansas Cancels Cost-Sharing for Poorest in Medicaid Expansion" (Dickinson, Modern Healthcare, 6/8).