FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amy Webb
Chief Communications & Community Engagement Officer
501-682-8946 desk
501-837-8199 mobile
[email protected]
Public Meetings Set to Begin on Study of Health Care Landscape in Arkansas
A series of public meetings designed to help the State assess the health care coverage landscape in Arkansas and determine ways to strengthen it will begin in late November, the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), the Arkansas Insurance Department (AID) and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services (DWS) announced Monday.
The public meetings follow an announcement in October by DHS, AID and DWS that the agencies will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the state’s overall health care coverage landscape. The assessment builds on a requirement in the Arkansas Works law that the agencies analyze the small business insurance market in Arkansas. Leavitt Partners, LLC in partnership with Health Management Associates, are assisting with the assessment.The assessment will include surveys, focus groups and gathering data related to insurance and Medicaid.
The goal of this assessment is to develop policy options that address issues identified during the research and data gathering phase of the assessment, including making specific recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature. The focus of the recommendations will be on programmatic and regulatory changes the state can make to: (1) strengthen the small group private insurance market; (2) improve the large group private insurance market; and (3) promote long-term sustainability of Medicaid.
All workgroup meetings are open to the public and will be held from 9 to 11 a.m.at the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service auditorium at 2301 S University Ave, Little Rock, AR 72204 on the following dates:
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
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