Letter From Arkansas Governor Beebe to U.S. HHS Regarding Arkansas Medicaid Payment Reform Proposal

February 11, 2011 Arkansas submitted the proposal to the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requesting approval to create a new statewide health care payment system, under a Section 1115 Medicaid waiver. HHS gave its conditional approval in May 2011, allowing the state to submit a formal waiver proposal. The proposal, the Arkansas Health Care Payment Improvement Initiative, calls for Arkansas Medicaid in conjunction with Medicare, Arkansas BlueCross and BlueShield, and private insurance plans, to implement a system that pays partnerships of local health care provider organizations to act as primary care health homes. Reimbursement in the new . . .