Arkansas’ Medicaid spending drops by $22M

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)   Arkansas’ Medicaid spending fell by $22 million in the fiscal year that ended in June.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that the decrease came despite slightly higher spending on Arkansas Works, the state’s expanded Medicaid program.

Arkansas Works spending rose to $1.91 billion, a less than 1 percent increase. That was offset by a $31 million decrease in spending on the traditional Medicaid program, which covers primarily low-income families and low-income people who are elderly or disabled.

The state Department of Human Services says spending on both parts of the Medicaid program fell by 0.3 percent, to $7.1 billion.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson credits lower enrollment as well as the state’s efforts to slow the growth of spending on the program.

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