LITTLE ROCK – The head of a consultant’s group studying Arkansas’ “private option” Medicaid system acknowledges its report is “in the weeds” but that it wanted to offer state lawmakers a number of plans to consider.
Arkansas uses federal funding to help buy insurance for poorer residents, and legislators this year asked the Stephen Group to analyze what Arkansas should do as it picks up a larger share of the costs.
John Stephen, the head of the New Hampshire-based group, said the study may seem voluminous, but that it wanted to address all of the lawmakers’ concerns.
He said a goal is to educate people about the importance of health care, and also to ensure that the health of the everyday Arkansan improves. He said the ultimate customers are the people Arkansas serves.
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