Susan Caplener, outreach and patient services coordinator for Mid-Delta Health Systems, a Federally Qualified Health Center in Clarendon, 30 miles east of Marvell, said about 50 or 60 of the clinic’s patients have lost coverage in the last two months. Some days, she said, it’s been too much to handle.
“In the beginning, when all of this was unraveling and we were hearing all of this, I kept telling my boss, ‘I got it. Don’t worry. I got it. I got it,’” Caplener said. “Then a couple of weeks ago, I had a day that, all of a sudden, I was like, ‘I don’t have it. What am I going to do?’ … My phone never stopped ringing.”
For Boose, the coverage loss means she’s been unable to see a doctor for chronic headaches that routinely wake her at night or get relief from prescription medication. For others, it means rationing medications for long-term illnesses, skipping autism therapy or shaving their child’s head for lice because they can’t afford to go to the doctor.
“Being a mother with young children, it’s frustrating,” said Shakina Gates, a 38-year-old mother of three who lives just outside of Marvell in Poplar Grove. “When we have issues, we don’t receive the cards, or we’re trying to get information about our case, we have problems with no one answering the phone, or no one wants to really talk to you.”
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CMS officials were in Arkansas last week meeting with patient advocates. Tsai told POLITICO the agency anticipates having similar meetings across the country.
“People should be concerned. This is not a good way to run a system. I say that across the country and for any state,” Tsai said in an interview. “Should we create a system that’s complicated and difficult to follow? No. That should be an uncaveated answer.”
But that’s exactly what appears to be happening as data trickles in from states that began culling their Medicaid rolls in April and May. More than 1 million people have lost their health insurance, according to data KFF has compiled from 20 states. Procedural terminations account for at least 80 percent of people who’ve lost Medicaid in seven states.
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What’s happening in Arkansas is unique in its speed but the state’s early efforts are a cautionary tale for the roughly 93 million Americans on Medicaid who are expected to go through the renewal process during the next year.
It will never be perfect
Arkansas Rep. Brandon Achor, a Republican, knows what happens when people lose their Medicaid. Before pharmacy school, he worked as a pharmacy technician in North Little Rock.
“For me, Medicaid is Mrs. Daisy counting out dollar bills three feet from me deciding whether she gets insulin this week or her kid gets an inhaler,” Achor said.
Still, Achor, who now co-owns a pharmacy with his wife, said he has faith in Arkansas’ renewal process and supports the compressed time frame. He said the state isn’t trying to “catch people sleeping.”
“I am worried that people will fall through the cracks, yes. But I have faith that the system honors the need, and that if their need is there and they recognize they have been dropped, that they recognize the resources they have to be re-enrolled,” Achor said in an interview at his pharmacy just outside of Little Rock.
After last week’s winter storm, several Arkansas school districts have announced that they will remain closed or will open late on Monday because of icy road conditions in neighborhoods and secondary streets:
* Benton School District: Closed.
* Booneville School District: Closed.
* Bryant School District: Closed.
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* Cabot School District: Schools will have a 2-hour delayed start.
* Conway School District: School will start at 10 a.m. after a 2-hour delay. Snow bus routes will be in effect.
* Greenbrier School District: Closed.
* Hot Springs School District: Closed.
* Jacksonville/North Pulaski School District: Closed. District offices and departments will open.
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* Little Rock School District: Closed. However, all 12-month employees, school administration and custodians should report to work at regularly scheduled times.
* North Little Rock School District: Closed. District Central Office sites will open at 10 a.m. Monday.
* Pulaski County Special School District: Closed. District offices will be open for those who can safely report to work, including auxiliary offices. School staff who are 244-day employees will be expected to report to work as well.
* Sheridan School District: Closed.
This list is based on school district news releases and social media posts, and it is not comprehensive. For information on other Arkansas school districts, patrons are asked to consult their school’s website or district app.
While the Arkansas Razorbacks have been hitting the transfer portal hard, it is partially as a result of having more than 20 scholarship players decide to enter the portal after a 6-6 regular season that was capped off with a Liberty Bowl win over Texas Tech on Dec. 27.
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The transfer portal officially opened Dec. 9 and it was open for a 30 day window through Dec. 28. There is also an additional five-day window for players to enter once their season is over, plus there will be an additional 10-day portal window from April 16-25.
ALSO READ: Arkansas Football 2025 Roster Tracker
HawgBeat provides a look at where former Razorbacks have transferred so far…
Note: “GP” denotes games played. Even if a player appears on special teams, that counts as a game played.
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OL Patrick Kutas – Ole Miss
From: Christian Brothers High School (Memphis, TN)
MEMPHIS –While Beale Street is famous for being the Home of the Blues, red was the color of the day Dec. 26 at the Beale Street Parade, where many watchers were clad in red — a team color for both teams playing in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl the following day.
Marching bands, vintage vehicles, cheer squads and floats marched, strutted and cruised down the historic street in downtown Memphis as fans of the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Texas Tech Red Raiders lined the streets, cheering as bands and cheer squads from their schools passed by.
The University of Arkansas Razorback Marching Band, cheerleaders and pep squad brought up the rear of the parade, creating a grand finale as they marched to meet Texas Tech’s Goin’ Band from Raiderland at Beale Street’s Handy Park for a festive Bash on Beale Pep Rally. Both the parade and the pep rally were sponsored by the Beale Street Merchants Association.
— Story and photos by Cary Jenkins
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Maddie Hayley, Kim Hayley, Spphie Haley, Layne Haley, Toomy Haley, orey Hale and Abbie Hayley on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
Caden, Colton, Amber and Drew Cates, all of Little Rock, on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
D.J. Stutts, Shante Stutts and DAnte Stutts of Batesville, mother and siblings of the late Razorback football team member Dion Stutts on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
Aspen Coad, Mattie Grace Fortenberry, Aylin Coad, Milli Fortenberry and Mac Fortenberry on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
Aspen Coad, Mattie Grace Fortenberry, Aylin Coad, Milli Fortenberry and Mac Fortenberry on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
Rhett, Dana Asher and Cooper Daniel of Rogers on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
Jeff Box of Memphis on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
Elivs Moya, Jennifer and Hunter Yurachek on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
Sue E. Pig on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
Sue E. Pig on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
Jonathan and Brittany Hays with Paxton and Brooke Kellett, all of Jonesboro. on 12/26/2024 on Beale Street, Memphis, Liberty Bowl Parade. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
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