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Powerful winds in the forecast as firefighters battle major LA County wildfires; Trump supporters go 'all in' for Pete Hegseth with money, coordination; Hoosiers on alert as Trump's OMB pick sparks policy concerns; Ohio cities embrace clean energy innovation; CA trans advocates focus on economic opportunity.

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Republicans want to attach 'strings' to California fire aid, a judge clears the release of findings about Trump election interference, and North Carolina Republicans seek to invalidate tens of thousands of votes in the state's Supreme Court race.

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"Drill, baby, drill" is a tough sell for oil and gas companies in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, rising sea levels create struggles for Washington's coastal communities, and more folks than ever are taking advantage of America's great outdoors.

Report: Arkansans Face Barriers to Medicaid Enrollment

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Wednesday, March 2, 2022   

Some Arkansans who are eligible for Medicaid have trouble applying for it, according to a new report. Community advocates want administrators and policymakers to find solutions to ensure that people who qualify can be covered.

The report surveyed nearly 300 Arkansans and found that 41% experienced challenges enrolling in Medicaid, with most having issues applying online.

Neil Sealy, executive director of Arkansas Community Organizations, which helped compile the report, said getting Medicaid coverage can help prevent medical debt, which is a growing problem in the state.

"Medical debt, access to health care, is a big issue for folks in Arkansas," he said, "and that's why we hope to have a dialogue with DHS officials, to see if there's some ways that we can make it easier to apply."

Representatives from Arkansas Community Organizations hand-delivered the report Tuesday to the Department of Human Services. A DHS spokesperson said the agency values hearing from people and recently created a Medicaid Client Voice Council for feedback. More than 900,000 Arkansans are Medicaid or CHIP recipients.

The report also presented policy recommendations, such as staffing call centers with online support representatives, along with in-person help, to meet demand. Sealy said implementing what is known as "presumptive eligibility," which allows people likely eligible for Medicaid to access services prior to being fully enrolled, would help.

"If someone applies, they have been screened for income or they're on another DHS program," he said, "they should just automatically be considered having insurance until they can get all their paperwork."

Arkansas recently received federal approval to change its Medicaid system, to shorten retroactive eligibility from 90 days to 30 days. Health-care advocates have warned these changes could be a burden for Medicaid enrollees.


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