LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas has removed more than 12,000 people from its expanded Medicaid program over the past three months for not complying with a new work requirement.
The state Department of Human Services said Thursday more than 3,800 people lost their Medicaid coverage in October for not complying with the rule, which requires them to work 80 hours a month. Beneficiaries lose coverage if they don’t meet the required three months in a calendar year. Nearly 8,500 people had lost coverage over the previous two months.
The department says another 6,000 people will lose coverage if they don’t meet the work requirement by the end of this month.
Arkansas was the first state to enforce the requirement after the Trump administration allowed states to tie Medicaid coverage to work.
