Arkansas Works

In 2013, under Obamacare, states were mandated to expand their federal Medicaid program, adding thousands more poor and millions in cost for this highly dysfunctional government service. The leadership of Arkansas devised an ingenious plan which would help avoid this untenable cost by instead purchasing health insurance for the poor.

Approval was granted by the Health and Human Services in Washington whereby federal Medicaid funding could be used to pay the premiums for the policies, thus placing the cost of actual care under the oversight and regulations of major health insurance companies. Gov. Asa Hutchinson had the good sense to support continuing this program, now called Arkansas Works, which benefits 285,000 poor Arkansans.

Inexplicably, some political leaders, particularly in Northwest Arkansas, continue a vendetta against Arkansas Works. Jan Morgan, a woman with highly questionable qualifications, is aspiring to run against Governor Hutchinson in the coming primary and is determined to eliminate Arkansas Works—and replace it with … what?

Medicaid, which covers actual medical care, is extremely costly as it’s impossible to control the abuse, bogus claims, and corruption; and the state must pay upwards of 30 percent of that cost. Uncompensated care bankrupts community hospitals and doctors barely break even.

Under Arkansas Works in 2018, Arkansas pays only 6 percent of the premium cost, which will ultimately increase to a maximum of 10 percent; however, a 2½ percent tax on the premiums comes back from the insurance companies. Also, through Governor Hutchinson’s leadership, the able-bodied are now required to work.

BARBARA FOREMAN Siloam Springs