House and Senate leaders Monday released the names of the 16 lawmakers serving on a task force to study changes throughout the state's Medicaid program, including the private option.
The state uses federal Medicaid dollars to purchase private health insurance for low-income Arkansans.
Legislative leaders said they included both sides of the private option on the task force.
The task force is dominated by Republicans -- 12 of the 16 seats will be held by Republicans and the Democrats will hold the other four. The Legislature is comprised of 87 Republicans and 47 Democrats. Republicans have been deeply divided about the private option.
The task force is charged with seeking "an alternative health care coverage model and legislative framework to ensure the continued availability of health care services for vulnerable populations" covered by the private option. More than 190,000 Arkansans have enrolled in private health insurance through the private option, according to the state Department of Human Services.
The state will pay 5 percent of the bill for the private option starting in 2017 and its share would reach 10 percent in 2020 when Gov. Asa Hutchinson said it would be more than $200 million.
House Speaker Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia, said he appointed Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, Rep. David Meeks, R-Conway, Rep. Reginald Murdock, D-Marianna, Rep. Justin Boyd, R-Fort Smith and Rep. Joe Farrer, R-Austin, to the task force.
Gillam said he named Rep. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, to be his designee on the task force, while House Republican Leader Ken Bragg of Sheridan named Rep. Michelle Gray, R-Melbourne, to be his designee, and House Democratic Leader Rep. Eddie Armstrong of North Little Rock named Rep. Deborah Ferguson, D-West Memphis, as his designee.
Gillam said 34 representatives applied to be on the task force and an organizational meeting will be scheduled in the next couple of days.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, said he appointed Sen. Cecile Bledsoe, R-Rogers, Jason Rapert, R-Bigelow, David Sanders, R-Little Rock, Linda Chesterfield, D-Little Rock, and John Cooper, R-Jonesboro, to the task force.
Dismang said he also named Sen. Terry Rice, R-Waldron, as his designee on the task force, while Senate Republican leader Jim Hendren of Sulphur Springs will be on the task force as a result of his post and Senate Democratic leader Keith Ingram of West Memphis will serves on it, too, due to his position.
A Section on 03/03/2015