In 2014, Arkansas opted to expand Medicaid coverage to Arkansans with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level, as permitted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The program was initially known formally as the Arkansas Health Care Independence Program, or informally as the “Private Option.” Read More
Our latest explainer provides information on school-based vision screening requirements in Arkansas, examines vision screening data provided by school districts, and look at barriers to access to comprehensive eye exams. Read More
Sadly, mass shootings have become common in the U.S., and parents should recognize that at least some information about these events is likely to reach their children. In his latest column for the Healthcare Journal of Arkansas, ACHI President and CEO Dr. Joe Thompson writes that parents should not wait until their children have heard about a tragic news event to talk to them about it. Read More
Arkansas has begun receiving part of its $216 million share of a $26 billion national settlement with major drug distributors and a drug manufacturer over their roles in the opioid epidemic. The Arkansas Advocate published an interview this week with ACHI Health Policy Director Craig Wilson about a white paper he authored that proposes principles to guide Arkansas’s spending of opioid settlement funds. Read More
Healthcare workers experience high rates of workplace violence that often results in physical injury or, in extreme cases, death. This explainer highlights several approaches to addressing this problem and discusses ways to promote a safe work environment. Read More
In a new guest column for Talk Business and Politics, ACHI Health Policy Director Craig Wilson says the need to invest in school nurses and counselors has never been greater. Read More
On Tuesday, Aug. 16, President Joe Biden signed The Inflation Reduction Act into law. The bill includes a new provision allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices for the first time and other significant prescription drug benefit changes aimed at lowering drug costs for Medicare enrollees. Read More
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed The Inflation Reduction Act, marking the passage of the most substantial climate legislation ever passed in Congress. The bill also contains notable healthcare provisions, including the continuation of Affordable Care Act monthly premium subsidies for plans purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Read More
ACHI Health Policy Director Craig Wilson’s many talents — which include not only analyzing and developing public health policy but also acting, singing, and dancing — are spotlighted in a profile in the Sunday, Aug. 7, issue of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Read More
