Study: Aliens an economic spark
Immigrants cost state and local governments nearly $31 million in 2010, but if consumer spending and other factors are considered, the state pockets seven doll…
Stories by Charlie Frago
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Study sees new cash, jobs from health law, Medicaid
Arkansas would see $550 million in new cash, more than 6,000 new jobs and 2,300 fewer deaths if the state chooses to expand Medicaid and implements the insuran…
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U.S. OKs state’s health-exchange partnership plan
Arkansas’ plan to partner with the federal government on its insurance exchange received a green light Thursday from the federal government, making it just one…
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State looks at ‘cliff’-vote fallout
State officials were still assessing Wednesday the Arkansas economic fallout from Congress’ deal averting the “fiscal cliff” — automatic spending cuts and tax …
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GOP officials float Medicaid special session
Gov. Mike Beebe prefers that lawmakers tackle Medicaid expansion when they convene later this month for the regular session, but Republican leaders said Monday…
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Insurance setup with U.S. OK’d
Republicans who oppose state participation in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act were stymied Friday as the Arkansas Legislative Council approved a…
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Edict on life-skills services mires insurance talks
State insurance-exchange planners and providers of services for the developmentally disabled agreed to keep talking Thursday about how to comply with a Patient…
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Medicaid sees growth slow in rolls, costs
Medicaid enrollment and spending are starting to level off, prompting speculation among lawmakers and state officials Wednesday that an improving Arkansas econ…
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Talk about snacks has legislators tangling
Newly elected state Rep. Sue Scott tussled Wednesday with outgoing veteran lawmaker Percy Malone in an exchange that began with a snack-food reference.
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GOP: Rethink Medicaid cut
Lawmakers who don’t want to expand Medicaid coverage fear they’ll bear the blame if nursing care for frail senior citizens is slashed.
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Club de Madrid stresses women’s rights
More than 30 former world leaders from every continent gathered Monday in Little Rock, vowing to use their clout to bolster women’s rights around the globe.
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Medicaid ax hangs over state’s frailest
Nursing homes across Arkansas will close if the state eliminates Medicaid funding for Level 3 nursing care, Department of Human Services officials, advocates a…
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State voices heard on care exchanges at home, in D.C.
With a deadline to set up a new health-care system 10 months away, Democrats and Republicans in Washington and in state capitols around the nation are debating…
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Funds hinge on Medicaid rolls growing
The chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences said Tuesday that his institution will lose $22 million in federal funds in 2014 but would mo…
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Medicaid deal stays on burner
Arkansas political leaders Tuesday said they’ll keep working to cut a deal on Medicaid, one day after the Obama administration said it won’t give extra money t…
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State-federal exchange fees add up to 6%
Consumers purchasing health coverage on the state’s insurance exchange in January 2014 will likely pay a 6 percent tax or “premium fee,” according to Arkansas …
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Suit fights ruling on retirement benefits
Current and former county officials who tried to collect retirement pay without permanently stepping down from their government posts have filed a lawsuit agai…
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Merit is seen for Medicaid drug test
Drug testing of Medicaid recipients has surfaced as a potential ingredient for a deal expanding the state’s $5 billion program by 250,000 people, but both Repu…
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Panel: Educate on insurance exchange
Although it’s still unclear exactly what shape Arkansas’ health-insurance exchange will take before enrollment starts next October, an advisory committee said …
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Panel: Health exchange’s format fuzzy
Although it’s still unclear exactly what shape Arkansas’ health-insurance exchange will take before enrollment starts next October, an advisory committee said …
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No backup for cuts in Medicaid, state says
The state has no backup plan for as many as 15,000 nursing-home residents and those receiving community and home-based care who need help in feeding, walking a…
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Medicaid woes tied to state’s economy
Arkansas’ rapidly approaching $298 million Medicaid shortfall can be attributed largely to the state’s economy, which has performed better than that of most ot…
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Democratic bastion sticks with its ways
Woodruff County doesn’t fit the profile : poorer than most, profoundly rural and 70 percent white.
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Hispanics making own Thanksgiving niche in U.S.
As Americans clog Little Rock streets and stores in a pre-Thanksgiving rush, Rafael Martinez sat next to quiet tortilla-making machinery at Tortilleria Brenda …
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Review finds Medicaid cuts of $329 million
Arkansas Medicaid Director Andy Allison told reporters Wednesday that $329 million in cuts to the $5 billion program over the next two fiscal years would be “a…
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State-run health-insurance exchange back on table
Arkansas’ nearly year-long plan for running an insurance exchange in partnership with the federal government took an unexpected twist Friday as a new federal d…
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Lack of degrees hurting Delta, agency report says
Delta workers continue to trail their counterparts nationwide in higher education attainment, putting them at greater risk in an economy that has decimated job…
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Beebe asks U.S. help to fill Medicaid gaps
Gov. Mike Beebe has asked the federal government for a wide-ranging Medicaid deal that would allow Arkansas to access federal funds to help plug the $4.6 billi…
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Democrat Mark Pryor seen as likely GOP target in ’14
As the lone Democrat left in Arkansas’ congressional delegation, U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor finds himself surrounded by Republicans, including a few who may be eyein…
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Arkansas’ 6 electoral votes easily go to Romney
As was widely expected, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney grabbed Arkansas’ six electoral votes easily Tuesday.
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State’s U.S. House seats in GOP grasp
The Republican Party appeared poised to win all four of the state’s congressional seats Tuesday, sweeping the federal seats up for election.
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State to start Web seminars on Medicaid
Arkansas Medicaid will offer monthly “webinars” to help educate providers on developments in the state’s first-in-the-nation payment overhaul for the $4.6 bill…
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Co-pays for Medicaid get a look at Capitol
Requiring small co-payments of up to 250,000 new Medicaid enrollees for certain services is a potential carrot being considered by the administration of Gov. M…
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Callers in state dial it up for nominees
Arkansas has been a sleepy backwater in the 2012 presidential campaign, with polls and political observers predicting a comfortable victory for Republican nomi…
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Medicaid director quizzed on changes
Lawmakers on Friday questioned if the state’s Medicaid-payment overhaul unfairly pins too much responsibility of patients’ lifestyle choices on doctors, and if…
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COGIC convocation overlaps with election
Each November, the Church of God in Christ’s convocation draws tens of thousands of worshippers.
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On ‘doughnut hole,’ savings average $592
So far this year, Arkansas Medicare recipients have saved nearly $42 million on preventive services and discounted drugs. Parts of the Patient Protection and A…
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Libertarians lead third-party charge
Was it colder or wetter on Friday morning at Bowman Road and Chenal Parkway? Hard to say. But a hardy group of Libertarian Party supporters didn’t seem to noti…
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U.S. debt pounded on in debate
Republican incumbent Rick Crawford raised his central message of tackling the national debt at every opportunity during a 1st Congressional District debate Thu…
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No Crawford, but 3 rivals turn up for debate
A 1st Congressional District debate televised to a statewide audience Tuesday didn’t include the Republican incumbent, who said he can reach voters more effect…
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43 diplomats touring state in look at life outside D.C.
More than 40 diplomats from five continents are in Arkansas on a State Department tour designed to give them more exposure to outside-the-Beltway America. On M…
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Bomb-truck decal a federal ‘offense’
It’s not what the truck is used for, it’s what the decal on the side says that counts.
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Crawford, Ellington spar over farm issues, spending
Rick Crawford is the first Republican to represent the 1st Congressional District since Reconstruction. Scott Ellington, a Jonesboro Democrat, wants to take th…
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At forum, Ellington gets stage to himself
Scott Ellington had the stage to himself Thursday in Arkansas County, and the Democratic challenger to incumbent 1st District Congressman Rick Crawford used hi…
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Ex-Bush aide: U.S. facing challenges
After predicting that the presidential election would be extremely close, Karl Rove spent most of his time Tuesday night during his lecture at Harding Universi…
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Sharing poverty, 2 counties diverge on politics
The recession that jolted America hit few places harder than the Arkansas Delta.
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State-run Medicaid shake-up broadens
Arkansas’ Medicaid director said Thursday that joint replacements and congestive heart failure — the two newest “episodes of care” to be included in the state’…
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Registering to vote tricky for military
Tuesday’s deadline for registering to vote can be more complicated for military men and women, especially those serving overseas.
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No surprises on Medicaid, agency urged
A trio of state health leaders updated lawmakers Wednesday on the latest developments in Arkansas’ rapidly changing Medicaid landscape, receiving an earful fro…
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State to U.S.: Let Medicare join overhaul
Arkansas has asked the federal government to fold Medicare into the ongoing state payment overhaul, already basking in national attention for being the first i…
