CMS Approves Arkansas Works, The State’s Non-Traditional Medicaid Expansion Program

On December 8, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved Arkansas’ 1115 demonstration waiver, Arkansas Works. It’s an amended version of the state’s pre-existing, non-traditional Medicaid expansion waiver, the Arkansas Health Care Independence Program.

The amended waiver allows the state to:

Establish a program that provides premium assistance for employer-sponsored health coverage.
Continue the use of health insurance marketplace plans as the main coverage option for the Medicaid expansion population.
Charge premiums to consumers with income above 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL).

The new program went into effect on January 1 . . .