Ark. Gov. Hutchinson pushes waivers for state's revised Medicaid program

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday said he would meet soon with federal officials to secure waivers for the state’s latest version of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act – ARHOME – and he said he will create an advisory council to prepare the state for cyberattacks that are becoming more prevalent. ARHOME stands for Arkansas Health & Opportunity for Me. It retains the private insurance model for purchasing health plans for participants like the private option and Arkansas Works did. The federal government will cover about 90% of the funding, while the state pays for the remaining 10%. Under current scenarios, on average, the state is responsible for about $200 million per year – $1.032 billion over five-years – for Arkansas Works premium supplements.