The blissful ignorance in Trumpcare

… that if you can’t pay for it, you don’t get it. That’s not going to happen with us. People can expect to have great health care . . . much less expensive and much better.” If he had the barest knowledge of what the law did, he would have known his …

State reports 19 deaths from flu, surge in cases

The Arkansas Health Department said Friday that the flu virus is now considered “widespread” in the state, with this week’s sharpest increases in Northwest Arkansas and in Craighead County. Department spokesman Meg Mirivel said 19 people have died from the illness in Arkansas since Oct. 2. Of those, 16 were 65 or older.

Flu deaths up from last year

(KAIT) – The Arkansas Department of Health said they’ve already had flu-related deaths this flu season. Meg Mirival with the ADH told Region 8 News, at least 19 people have died this flu season in Arkansas. That is already more than last year, where …

Dental benefits manager selected

… the companies indicates the payments are expected to total about $300 million over two years. Dentists and other oral health care providers would be reimbursed for services by the companies instead of the Medicaid program, as they are now. Adults …

Dermatologist Explains Tanning Risks As Bill Advances

A bill that would keep Arkansans under the age of 18 from tanning has now reached the Arkansas house floor for voting. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer and dermatologists are seeing an increase right here in the River Valley.

State director to run N.M. insurance hub

The director of the agency responsible for Arkansas’ health insurance exchanges will become director of the exchanges in New Mexico on March 1, New Mexico’s exchange board announced Friday. After submitting her resignation to the Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace board of directors last week, Cheryl Smith Gardner told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette she had accepted a job in New Mexico, but didn’t provide further details.

Manatt on Medicaid: Monthly Expansion Recap – January 2017

The Arkansas Health Reform Legislative Task Force met for the last time to approve its final report , which includes findings and recommendations on health coverage in Arkansas, including the finding that continuing Medicaid expansion would save the State $637 million from 2017 to 2021. The report also estimates that changes already underway, including capping some mental health benefits and allowing managed care organizations to manage dental benefits, will yield an additional $963 million in savings over the next five years.

Mumps hitting state’s Marshallese hard

The breadth of the outbreak of mumps in Northwest Arkansas appears to be linked in part to that area’s community of Marshall Islanders, the director of the state Department of Health said Monday. Meanwhile, the region’s high rate of unvaccinated schoolchildren compared with the rest of the state doesn’t appear to be a factor in the unusual size of the outbreak, said Nate Smith, director of the state Department of Health.