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Arkansas Cuts 4,100 Additional People From Medicaid Because Of Work Requirement

Arkansas Works Governor Asa Hutchinson Work Requirement
Michael Hibblen
/
KUAR News

Arkansas has nearly doubled the number of people removed from its expanded Medicaid program over a new work requirement that's the subject of a federal lawsuit.

The state Department of Human Services on Monday said more than 4,100 people lost their Medicaid coverage for not complying with the rule. It requires some beneficiaries to work 80 hours a month for three months in a calendar year.

The department last month said more than 4,300 people had lost coverage because of the rule. The department said another 4,800 people will lose coverage if they don't meet the work requirement by the end of this month.

Arkansas was the first state to enforce the requirement after the Trump administration said it would allow states to tie Medicaid coverage to work.

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