Who must work or not have to work in new Medicaid law?

With change often comes confusion. That’s the unstated fact in the political climate in Arkansas these days.

When you are talking about Medicaid, insurance and the expenditure of billions of dollars of federal and state taxes, well, confusion often reigns supreme.

Just like these last few weeks when there was “buzz” about Arkansas being the first state ever to receive a federal waiver for its Medicaid program — that allows the state to ask for actual proof of work to be in the federally-funded program.

For years, almost a full decade, the once minority political party — the Republicans — now the state’s majority political party in the state legislature — were often against any continuation or expansion of the Medicaid program in the state without more assurances that it was not being abused by poor and nonworking citizens.

Even as rural hospitals, physicians, pharmacist and others in the healthcare field — medical supply companies, therapists, clinics, dentists and even opticians — were begging for some parity in the federal reimbursement process and help in providing services to an often overwhelming poor and indigent population.

In perhaps the darkest hour of the political tugof-war over Medicaid in Arkansas, a group of five far-thinking Republican lawmakers went to then Gov. Mike Beebe, the last Democratic governor of the decade and convinced him to allow the federal Medicaid dollars be used for the purchase of insurance to give many of those who could not pay as a solution to pay all these healthcare providers for a portion, if not all, of the medical services required for basic humanitarian services.

The plan worked. The divided Legislature passed the plan. The number of people without any health insurance shrank and rural hospitals and others were saved from economic ruin.

These GOP House members were able to “sell” the concept to the ever-growing number of others in the state legislature — on both sides of the political aisle — that this use of Medicaid funds to purchase insurance to be used by those who previously depended upon the hospitals, doctors and clinics not being paid would work. And it did.

Two years ago, to keep a semblance of the program alive, the rising tide of conservatives in the House — largely Republican members — vocally had asked for a “work requirement” fearing these programs were largely for a number of Arkansans who did not work and simply wanted more from the state becuase they were on the public dole.

This year the work requirement was implemented.

The program was perhaps misnamed “Arkansas Works,” by the Hutchinson administration two years ago. The conservatives in the Legislature wanted to see “requirements” for work as law.

In the past few days, misinformation and distortions have been shared on social media regarding changes in work requirements to Arkansas Works.

A quick summary of Arkansas Works requirement are:

• Arkansans on traditional Medicaid are not affected.

• Those already working and on the Arkansas Works plan — not affected.

• Those older than age of 49 — are exempt.

• Arkansans unable to work because of a disability or illness — are not affected.

• Dependents at home are not affected.

Those who will be affected are those ages 1949 years old, who are not disabled, childless adults on the plan.

These 19-49-year-old adults who are on the plan will be asked to show work or resource classes of at

or resource classes of at least 80 hours a month.

The Department of Human Services and Workforce Services will provide information on resources available in every corner of the state. Job training, attending school, or doing volunteer work can satisfy the 80 hour a month requirement.

Exemptions will be made for catastrophic events, enrollment in drug or alcohol treatment or caring for a minor child or incapacitated person.

The retroactive eligibility period of 30 days means that Medicaid will cover any care provided in the 30 days before an application being submitted. This will encourage efficient application submissions and create cost savings without reducing services for patients.

Is it a perfect plan? No, but the “works” in Arkansas Works is now the law.

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Maylon Rice is a former journalist who worked for several northwest Arkansas publications. He can be reached via email at maylontrice@yahoo.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author.