Arkansas Medicaid Reform Takes Shape

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas officials have identified nine areas that they want to focus on as they look at changing the way Medicaid pays for services, including neonatal care and developmental disabilities, Gov. Mike Beebe told federal health officials in a letter released Monday.
The state in May was given initial approval to move forward with developing plans to switch from a fee-for-service model that Medicaid uses. The state instead hopes to pay partnerships of local providers for "episodes" of care rather than each individual treatment.