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.

Maternal health in Arkansas is the focus of a new, nine-part podcast series produced by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement. Each episode of the “Healthy Birthing Journey Podcast” will look at one of the phases from pre-pregnancy through the postpartum period identified in ACHI’s infographic, “9 Points on a Healthy Birthing Journey.”

Maternal and infant mortality rates in Arkansas are among the highest in the nation, but a wide range of efforts are underway to change that. The Healthy Birthing Journey Podcast is a nine-part series in which we explore the data and issues behind maternal and infant health in Arkansas by speaking with the people working to improve outcomes for moms and babies across our state. Each episode focuses on one of nine points on the birthing journey, from pre-pregnancy through delivery and into the postpartum period, where ACHI analysts and researchers have identified opportunities for Arkansas to make lasting improvements.