Health Care Independence Program Interim Evaluation Report Highlights

As a part of the terms and conditions of the Section 1115 demonstration waiver implementing the Health Care Independence Program (HCIP), Arkansas was required to design and implement an evaluation of the program’s premium assistance approach for individuals enrolled in private plans through the program. The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) worked with researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Public Health to complete the interim evaluation report. The effort was overseen by a national advisory committee to ensure the scientific rigor of the assessment of the program.

The federally-required evaluation report examines healthcare claims, enrollment, provider, and survey data from 2014, the first year of the waiver program. It compares access, quality, health outcomes, and costs for beneficiaries enrolled in the program to those enrolled in the traditional fee-for-service Medicaid program.