On the Arkansas Times, Part I

May 13, 2013 2 Comments
why-time-travel-is-impossible_66207_600x450

One of the legislature’s most praiseworthy achievements this session was passing a “voter ID” bill. If you read the unsigned article in this week’s Arkansas Times, though, you’ll see a very different perspective on voter ID. Indeed, the Times explained: Republicans say the new law will protect the integrity of our elections; some may believe that. But there's no evidence of substantial in-person voter fraud, the only kind prevented by the new law. There is plenty of evidence, however, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Legislature, Arkansas Media, Elections, Voter ID Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Day of Reckoning in Saline County: Who Said It?

May 11, 2013 21 Comments
mystery legislator

Thursday night, the Saline County TEA Party hosted a town meeting so that their members could question the Saline County legislators who had supported the “private option.” About five state legislators representing Saline County attended; at least as many legislators from outside Saline County attended as well. Almost every public official who was there has been a friend of the Advance Arkansas Institute and, in some way, has fought for good-government reforms. But I have become … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Gallery, Medicaid, Obamacare Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fig Leaves & “Moving On”

May 1, 2013 5 Comments
MedicaidChart_ARKANSAS_FINAL1

Advance Arkansas Institute President Dan Greenberg was recently asked to summarize the battle over Medicaid reform for The Heritage Foundation. His piece is on their blog, The Foundry. Here's a taste: In plain English, the maneuver Arkansas was contemplating would gain the state no additional flexibility on benefits or cost sharing beyond the (very limited) scope allowed under current federal Medicaid rules. Thus, the notion that the “private option” could somehow produce significantly … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Health Care Reform, Medicaid, Obamacare Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Will the Medicaid Expansion “Triggers” Fire?

April 16, 2013 2 Comments
MEDICAID EXPANSION: You can check out, but you can never leave.

The House just passed HB1219 which includes funding for Medicaid expansion. You can see how your representative voted here. The Senate is convening now to consider the measure, but before they pass it they should consider a new paper from Advance Arkansas Institute that outlines some of the legal concerns with "opting out" of expansion once we opt-in: Lawmakers have spent a substantial amount of time this session creating and designing this particular version of Medicaid expansion, which would … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Medicaid, Obamacare Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Legislature’s Plan to Lock Arkansans Into Poverty

April 15, 2013 1 Comment
Medicaid state

The thinkers at Advance Arkansas Institute have released a new paper entitled, "How Medicaid Expansion (and the "Private Option") Will Lock Its Clients Into Poverty." The paper examines, among other things, how the healthcare plan being pushed through the legislature will trap the poor: Employers create jobs, and employers hire employees. The expansion of Medicaid will create large incentives for businesses both to reduce the work hours of their employees and to split full-time jobs into … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Gallery, Medicaid, Obamacare, Unemployment Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Senator Rapert Calls Again for “Private Option” Delay

April 11, 2013 4 Comments
medicaid expansion

Yesterday I reported that state Senator Jason Rapert announced (while attending AAI’s Monday town hall meeting in Conway) that he wanted the legislature to delay passage of the “private option” Medicaid expansion. Now the AP has picked up on the story. According to a new report, Rapert reiterated his calls for delay this morning at the Capitol, saying lawmakers should take three weeks off to go talk to their constituents and then reconvene. Talk to your constituents? What a great … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Medicaid, Obamacare Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How AAI’s Town Halls Have Changed the Medicaid Debate

April 10, 2013 5 Comments
conway AAI tour

This week, while legislators were at the Capitol talking to each other, the Advance Arkansas Institute traveled around the state talking to the people of Arkansas about the perils of Medicaid expansion. The meetings featured two national health care policy experts: Christie Herrera of the Foundation for Government Accountability and Ed Haislmaier of the Heritage Foundation.  Meetings were held in North Little Rock, Conway, Hot Springs, Hot Springs Village, and Benton. I attended every one of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Gallery, Medicaid, Obamacare Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Poll Shows Plurality Less Likely to Support “Private Option,” Oppose Medicaid Expansion

April 8, 2013 2 Comments
private option poll

Today, as the Advance Arkansas Institute kicks off their Medicaid town hall tour across the state, AAI has released a new scientific poll on the “private option” plan. The Senate passed the plan on Friday, although the results of this survey suggest that a 75 percent vote (which will be required in order to spend Medicaid money) will be difficult to achieve. According to the poll, a plurality of Arkansans are “less likely” to support expansion under the private option model -- they … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Democrats, Arkansas Legislature, Health Care Reform, Medicaid, Obamacare Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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