Asa Hutchinson
LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday said projected savings from his plan to shift some Medicaid services to private firms would cut in half a waiting list for care of developmentally disabled people.
Facing resistance to his managed care proposal, the Republican governor said his plan is linked to his push to keep and rework the state’s hybrid Medicaid expansion. Hutchinson has said he’s keeping the agenda for next week’s special session limited to his expansion and managed care proposals.
Hutchinson is proposing contracting with private firms for some of Medicaid’s services for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled. He proposed using at least half of the $50 million projected in premium taxes collected annually from the managed care plans to cut the waiting list for home and community based care in half over the next three years.
“We have an opportunity to address almost 3,000 Arkansas citizens that are developmentally disabled that have been on a waiting list, some of them close to 10 years,” Hutchinson told reporters after talking to his advisory council on Medicaid reform.
Lawmakers from both parties have criticized Hutchinson’s decision to not include a competing proposal from managed care opponents on the agenda for the session, which is expected to convene April 6. The competing proposal would have the state contract with private firms to help coordinate services for the developmentally disabled and mentally ill but, unlike Hutchinson’s proposal, the state would continue to pay providers directly rather than through a managed care organization.
Hutchinson said the alternative proposal would not generate the premium tax revenue needed to cut the waiting list.
Republican Rep. Michelle Gray, who is working on the alternative proposal, said her plan would generate about $10 million a year in savings that would go toward cutting the waiting list. Gray said the proposal would also cap services for those on the list so more people could get home and community based services.
Gray said she’s disappointed Hutchinson isn’t including the competing plan on the session agenda, but is looking at other ways to get the proposal before lawmakers. Her options include an attempt to put the plan before the Legislature after Hutchinson’s proposal is considered during next week’s special session or introducing it during the Legislature’s fiscal session the following week. Both avenues would require at least two-thirds support of the House and Senate for the legislation to even be considered.
“All we’re asking for is a fair day in court and to let this bill be heard,” Gray said.
Hutchinson is trying to build support for the managed care proposal at the same time fellow Republicans are sharply divided over his plan to keep the state’s hybrid Medicaid expansion, which uses federal funds to purchase private insurance for the poor. Hutchinson has proposed adding new restrictions to the program, including charging premiums for some participants. More than 250,000 people are on the program, crafted three years ago as an alternative to expanding Medicaid under the federal health law.
Hutchinson said he’s confident there are enough votes to pass both measures in the special session. Although the legislation outlining the changes to the expansion requires only a simple majority, the budget bill continuing the expanded coverage will require three-fourths support in the fiscal session.
(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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