Arkansas Medicaid Program Overview
Enrollment, funding, and managed care facts for Arkansas Medicaid.
Get Arkansas's Medicaid Fee Schedule →Enrollment
Arkansas Medicaid covered approximately 0.79-0.90M people. Two independent sources give different-period figures for total Arkansas Medicaid/CHIP enrollment: KFF's state indicator (787,684, May 2026) and CMS's 2024 Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment and Program Characteristics report (900,323 total Medicaid enrollees, July 1, 2024). Consistent with continued post-pandemic 'unwinding' enrollment decline between mid-2024 and mid-2026, not a data error. Reported as a range rather than a single false-precision number.
Funding & federal match
Arkansas has adopted ACA Medicaid expansion, effective 2014-01-01.
For FFY2026 (Oct 1, 2025 - Sep 30, 2026), Arkansas's Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) is 69.23%.
Delivery system & managed care
A large share of Arkansas Medicaid is delivered through managed care organizations (MCOs) rather than fee-for-service — estimates range from 3.6-5.4% of Medicaid enrollees.
Waivers
Arkansas operates Medicaid managed care under the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me (ARHOME), a Section 1115 demonstration waiver. Current vehicle for Arkansas's ACA Medicaid expansion population (successor to Arkansas Works and the original Private Option/Health Care Independence Program); premium assistance purchases qualified health plans on the exchange for most expansion enrollees rather than using a traditional Medicaid MCO. A January 2025-approved amendment added Life360 HOMEs -- targeted, medically necessary housing- and nutrition-support care coordination for rural enrollees, high-risk pregnant/postpartum enrollees, and young adults at risk of long-term poverty. Approved period extends through end of 2026; a renewal for the following period was pending as of this update.
Has Arkansas expanded Medicaid under the ACA?
Yes. Arkansas has adopted ACA Medicaid expansion. Effective 2014-01-01.
How many people are enrolled in Arkansas Medicaid?
Approximately 0.79-0.90M people.
What percentage of the federal Medicaid match does Arkansas receive?
69.23% for FFY2026 (Oct 1, 2025 - Sep 30, 2026) — meaning the federal government pays roughly 69 cents of every Arkansas Medicaid dollar, and the state pays the rest.
Is most of Arkansas Medicaid delivered through managed care?
Estimates range from 3.6-5.4% of Medicaid enrollees in managed care.
What Medicaid waivers does Arkansas operate under?
Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me (ARHOME), a Section 1115 demonstration waiver. Current vehicle for Arkansas's ACA Medicaid expansion population (successor to Arkansas Works and the original Private Option/Health Care Independence Program); premium assistance purchases qualified health plans on the exchange for most expansion enrollees rather than using a traditional Medicaid MCO. A January 2025-approved amendment added Life360 HOMEs -- targeted, medically necessary housing- and nutrition-support care coordination for rural enrollees, high-risk pregnant/postpartum enrollees, and young adults at risk of long-term poverty. Approved period extends through end of 2026; a renewal for the following period was pending as of this update.
Get Arkansas's Free Medicaid Fee Schedule
Request actual Arkansas Medicaid reimbursement rates by billing code — free, delivered as a CSV.
Sources
- KFF State Health Facts - Total Monthly Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment
- CMS - Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment and Program Characteristics, 2024
- Federal Register / GPO - Federal Financial Participation in State Assistance Expenditures, FFY2026 FMAP Notice (2024-27910)
- KFF State Health Facts - Federal Matching Rate (FMAP) for Medicaid
- KFF - Status of State Action on the Medicaid Expansion Decision
- healthinsurance.org - Medicaid eligibility and enrollment in Arkansas
- MACPAC - MACStats Medicaid and CHIP Data Book, Exhibit 29 (Percentage of Medicaid Enrollees in Managed Care by State, July 1, 2022)
- CMS Newsroom - HHS Approves Arkansas' Medicaid Waiver to Provide Medically Necessary Housing and Nutrition Support Services
- Arkansas Department of Human Services - ARHOME Section 1115 Demonstration Renewal Application
Data last verified 2026-09-17. Also see our free Medicaid Fee Schedule tool.