Conservative health care experiment leads to thousands losing coverage
'I have pre-existing conditions. But all they could tell me was, 'sorry, you didn't comply,'' said one Arkansan who lost coverage.
The state has removed more than 16,000 low-income adults for failing to log at least 80 hours of work, job training, volunteering or similar activity — including 4,655 in November.
Some of the people thrown off the program describe a nightmarish, confusing experience with clunky technology and no one to help them. Individuals who don't adhere to the new rules for three months get removed from Medicaid for the rest of the year.
Views differ on the fairness of the unprecedented social experiment, but there's unanimity here that it's causing confusion. And that's feeding a philosophical debate about whether low-income adults are ducking the work rules or just can't navigate the tech-heavy reporting system that goes offline every night at 9 p.m.
Deyo is one of nine Arkansas Medicaid enrollees who sued the Trump administration in August to block the rules. She said a state letter notifying her about the work requirements was sent to the wrong address, leaving her completely unaware of the new terms. After losing coverage, the 38-year-old was unable to go to physical therapy or see her doctor to schedule surgery to repair a broken screw in her back. She's also had to pay more for medication.
That's not much consolation for Deyo, who's figuring out how to deal with her infirmities in the new landscape.
"I have the doctors' notes that say I can't work, I have their signatures," she said. "Nobody wanted to hear that from me.
Racheal Holmes said she lost her benefits at the end of October despite going to a Department of Human Services office in Little Rock once a month to log her hours.
Holmes, who had been working at a grocery store, said it took hours just to log in to the online reporting system the first time. A state worker offered help only after a security guard noticed she was still at the office after several hours, she said.
Only 1,428 low-income adults required to report their hours in November logged at least 80 hours. Roughly 8,400 failed to report 80 hours, with 98 percent of them not reporting any work activities, according to statistics from the Arkansas Department of Human Services.
Arkansas officials are belatedly making accommodations for people in a poor state with limited internet access after national backlash from health care advocates, including a new phone line for enrollees to report their hours.
Online reporting kiosks have also been available at county offices. But the state has not hired additional workers to help Medicaid enrollees navigate the new rules, despite the high stakes for non-compliance.
Hutchinson scoffed at critics who say the state isn't doing enough, citing examples such as the Department of Human Services making more than 155,000 phone calls to educate enrollees about the rules.
"The criticism is based upon myths and misunderstandings and a totally different philosophy."
"It is reasonable and expected in the United States of America and especially here in conservative Arkansas that people who are able to work will do so," said state Sen. Jason Rapert. "It is not acceptable for people to think they are entitled for other taxpayers to pay for services for them just because they do not want to work. That is not individual responsibility."
In an interview earlier this month, Rapert said he hadn't heard a single complaint from constituents subject to the work requirements.
The Trump administration has approved similar rules in Indiana, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Wisconsin, but they haven't taken effect yet; Kentucky's have been stalled by a lawsuit from advocates of the poor.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018...nt-leads-to-thousands-losing-coverage-1076876
That's roughly 86% of those affected by the new rules losing their healthcare.
Feature, not a bug.
