Sanders announces Medicaid work requirement soft launch for Arkansas ARHOME recipients

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.

Beneficiaries will be notified of their status so they can meet the requirements when they go into effect next year.

Those who do not meet the requirements by Jan. 1, 2027, will have 30 days to show compliance before their Medicaid benefits are suspended.

What officials are saying

“Most Arkansans work hard to pay for their health insurance — and they shouldn’t have to subsidize healthy adults who choose to stay on the sidelines,” Sanders said. “If you’re young, healthy, and get government assistance, you should work, go to school, or volunteer.”

DHS Secretary Janet Mann said the program is designed to help beneficiaries advance economically.

“Finding a job brings purpose, meaning, and economic independence, which we know leads to better health,” Mann said. “The ARHOME Community Engagement and Work Requirement is a key program that will help our beneficiaries advance their careers and become self-sufficient, and we look forward to a successful implementation.”

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