LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – An Arkansas mom said she feels like she is getting the run around from the state after her son’s Medicaid coverage suddenly changed.
Twyla’s son is 22 years old and has Down syndrome. For the past four years, most of his daily care has been covered by Medicaid. She said that lifeline went dark in the blink of an eye.
“We abruptly got a call from his provider that his hours were being cut,” Twyla said.
With each case, the state determines the number of “supportive living hours” each person gets covered. Twyla said her son’s hours were cut by more than half.
“It was all very, I think the right word is ambiguous, of what they were looking for,” she said. “There’s no checklist of what needs to be turned in and how it needs to be turned in.”
Twyla said her son maintained some coverage, but others are losing it altogether.
Last year, the state dropped more than 400,000 people from Medicaid during its unwinding process.
According to the Department of Human Services, a lot of the cancellations can be related to lower unemployment rates and wage increases.
The state’s website said the main reason is because of missing paperwork or failing to renew claims.
At the end of last year, DHS shared a statement regarding the unwinding process.
“We believe that maintaining access to uninterrupted health coverage for children is critical to their health and well-being and Arkansas has made significant efforts to ensure that every eligible child and family in the state-maintained coverage,” the statement read.
The state said they have made a significant attempt to contact any beneficiaries about any necessary paperwork needed.
Twyla said she never received any information from the state prior to her son’s hours being cut.
“I called and texted our care coordinator, our provider, I was on the phone with Empower, DHS, and state legislators,” she said.
Twyla said her family has gotten a lot of support from her son’s care coordinator and the people they see on a daily basis. She said communication needs to get better between parents and those who decide whose funding gets cut.
Twyla said she’s hoping everyone can work together to streamline the process and make families aware of what is going on. She said things need to change for the betterment of Arkansas children and families.
“The more that I read, and the more that I’ve learned, it’s too important,” she said.
Twyla is hoping her story will inspire other parents to voice their concerns and seek change.
The DHS said any family who was impacted by the unwinding process has the right to appeal their case.
