Arkansas Medicaid Resources

• State Medicaid Website: Arkansas
• Arkansas Governor’s Developmental Disability Council Website
• The Arc of Arkansas

Arkansas Medicaid Facts: From Kaiser Family Foundation Medicaid Fact Sheet (2009)

There are 120,200 people with a disability using Medicaid in Arkansas. The state spent $10,529 on each Medicaid recipient with a disability in 2007.

17% of the people covered by Medicaid in Arkansas have a disability. This is almost the same as the national percentage of 15%.

Arkansas spends 44% of all the money it spends on Medicaid on services for people with disabilities, which is also almost the same as the national percentage of 42%.

SafetyNet Benefit Program

This program provides access to basic medical services for adults and children with disabilities who do not participate in an HCBS waiver and who do not live in an intermediate care or nursing facility.

•  Health: chiropractic, durable medical equipment, early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment, hearing, hospice, immunization, hospital, mental health, laboratory, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician, podiatry, speech therapy, x-ray
•  Home: home health, personal care,
•  Social Services: case management

Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

PACE programs are designed for people 55 and older who need nursing care, which includes many people with disabilities. These programs provide integrated care and support including a high level of preventive care. PACE programs must provide all services otherwise included in a person’s Medicaid or Medicare benefit, as well as all other services deemed medically necessary.

Ages: 55 and older

Level of Care: nursing

Restrictions: You must have access to an approved PACE center.

•  Community: health-related transportation
•  Health: primary and specialty care, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, recreation therapy, prescription drugs, day health care
•  Home: home care, home and environmental modifications
•  Social Services: social services

Non-Emergency Transportation Plan

This program provides adults and children with disabilities access to transportation services for routine and scheduled medical services.

•  Community: Transportation

TEFRA-like Demonstration

This demonstration waiver provides basic Medicaid services to children with disabilities, but uses a pay scale that is based on family income. This means that a family’s cost is adjusted depending on how much they earn, with the hope that no one is asked to pay more than they can afford for care. This waiver is designed to ensure that children with disabilities get the care they need in a community-based setting regardless of what their families can pay.

Alternative Community Services Waiver

This waiver serves people of all ages who have developmental disabilities, as long as their needs would otherwise require institutional placement.

Level of Care: Nursing

•  Community: community transition services
•  Health: adaptive equipment, specialized medical supplies, crisis intervention
•  Home: supportive living, respite, environmental modifications
•  Social Services: supplemental support services, case management, consultation
•  Work: supported employment

Alternatives for Adults with Physical Disabilities (AAPD) waiver

This waiver provides care for adults who have physical disabilities that make them eligible for placement in a residential care facility. This waiver is designed to ensure that adults with physical disabilities can receive the same level of care in their homes or in the community as they would in a nursing home.

Ages: 21 to 64

Level of Care: Nursing

Options for Self-Direction: Yes. This program has an option where the person with the disability can hire their own attendant and pay them, and Medicaid will pay them back that money. This attendant CAN be a family member, but it CANNOT be someone (spouse, guardian) who is legally responsible for the person with a disability.

•  Health: adaptive equipment, counseling
•  Home: attendant care, environmental adaptations
•  Social Services: case management

Living Choices Assisted Living Waiver

This waiver provides home-based care for people who are blind or physically disabled. In addition to meeting financial requirements, the disability must be at a level that would require placement in a residential care facility. This waiver provides assisted living services, pharmacist consultant services, and extended prescription drug coverage.

Ages: 21 and older

•  Health: pharmacy consultant, prescription drug coverage
•  Home: assisted living