Economy
In Arkansas, ‘Digital Redlining’ Could Leave Thousands Without Health Care
One of America’s poorest and least connected states says Medicaid recipients must find work and an internet connection to keep receiving benefits.
In June, Arkansas began rolling out a controversial change to its Medicaid program. Under a new state plan, all recipients who are able to work will have to log 80 working hours each month, or risk losing access to their health care. But finding a job might not be the biggest hurdle for many people.
In order to stay eligible for Medicaid, Arkansas’s recipients must report their working hours each month, and it must be done online—the state doesn’t offer a way to do it via mail, telephone, or in person.