Arkansas law funds Medicaid services and sets enrollment limits

The law authorizes funding for Division of Medical Services operations and listed grants. The funding covers division operations and grants for services including medical care, prescription drugs, nursing home care, and child and family programs. Operations and grant payments are payable from accounts determined by the State's Chief Fiscal Officer. These amounts cover the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027.

The department must set aside the first $37.6 million of specified funding for home and community-based services for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The set-aside comes from money allocated to the Department of Human Services Grants Fund Account. The money may be used only for those services through the named Medicaid waiver program or a successor program serving people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Unspent money at the end of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, carries forward for the same purpose in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2028.

The law limits how the department may use or accept funds for promoting enrollment in two named health coverage programs and for enrollment helpers. The limits apply to the Department of Human Services and promotion or enrollment-helper activities for the Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace and Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me. The promotion limits allow certain direct or requested communications, factual responses to inquiries, and a website used only for enrollment. The helper funding limits allow regulatory and training work and do not apply to certified application counselors at health-related institutions. This section expires June 30, 2027.

The department must send lawmakers monthly reports on the Medicaid Program Trust Fund's balance and distributions. Reports must show the current balance, the prior five fiscal year-end balances, and details of distributions from the fund and its subfunds. Reports go to the Legislative Council PEER Subcommittee or, during a legislative session, the Joint Budget Committee PEER/Review Subcommittee. Each report is due at least 10 days before the committee's scheduled meeting. This reporting section applies from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.