JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – Arkansans receiving Medicaid will be required to have a job beginning July 1, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Arkansas Department of Human Services announced Friday.
The state’s welfare-to-work requirement will soft launch next Wednesday. Full implementation of the program will go into effect Jan. 1, 2027.
Who is affected
Under the new requirement, healthy adults between the ages of 19 and 64 who are enrolled in the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me (ARHOME) Medicaid program must work, volunteer or go to school for at least 80 hours per month.
Pregnant and postpartum women, disabled veterans, caregivers and those with special needs are exempt.
What the soft launch means
During the soft launch, DHS will begin running automated processes to determine if beneficiaries are exempt, meeting or not meeting the work and community engagement requirement, according to Friday’s news release…