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Among consumers who selected health plans on the Arkansas marketplace for 2026, there was a substantial increase from the previous year in the number of consumers who shopped around for the best deals, data show. We look at the reasons for that increase in the second installment of our blog series examining marketplace enrollment data.

From her interest in health and wellness to a career in health policy and analysis, ACHI Director of Health Policy Jennifer Wessel is the focus of a profile by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

New data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show that marketplace plan enrollment in Arkansas decreased by 3.8% in the 2026 open enrollment period compared to 2025, but there was a shift in the types of plans selected and a notable increase in average plan premiums.

A proposed U.S. Department of Labor rule and a new federal law would add transparency requirements for pharmacy benefit managers alongside existing Arkansas laws regulating these drug pricing middlemen.

Private equity involvement in health care increased twentyfold between 2000 and 2018. ACHI Director of Research Antonije Lazic shares his notes on a study by researchers with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the RAND Corporation examining trends in private equity acquisition of substance use disorder treatment facilities.

ACHI President and CEO Craig Wilson discussed the state of health and health care in Arkansas during an appearance on the March 20 episode of Arkansas TV’s “Arkansas Week.”

This year marks a decade of data collection under the Arkansas Healthcare Transparency Initiative, Arkansas’s primary, unified source for health data.

Arkansas has made significant investments to strengthen its primary care physician workforce over the past decade, but access to primary care remains a challenge for many Arkansans. A new report from the Milbank Memorial Fund shows that nearly 1 in 5 Arkansans do not have a usual source of care.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers among both men and women in Arkansas, but it’s also one of the most survivable with regular screening and early detection. Unfortunately, the American Cancer Society reports that colorectal cancer incidence rates among U.S. adults under age 50 are rising, yet only 37% of adults ages 45 to 49 have been screened for the disease.