Arkansas will again be a trailblazer state as it begins its transition from a federally facilitated marketplace (FFM) partnership to a state-based marketplace (SBM) in July 2015. The legislatively established Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace (AHIM) board and staff will assume full responsibility for operation of the small business health options program (SHOP) when open enrollment begins in November 2015. The Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace (AHIM) will also provide consumer assistance, outreach and education as well as marketing for the individual marketplace–functions previously provided by the federally facilitated marketplace partnership. Because the state relies on marketplace qualified health plans (QHPs) to provide coverage for low income Arkansans through the Health Care Independence Program, delineation of eligibility and enrollment responsibilities will be critical as the state moves ahead with the transition.
This fact sheet describes the state’s current partnership responsibilities, required state-based marketplace (SBM) functions, and current and anticipated eligibility and enrollment processes following the transition of core functions to the state.
