While Gov. Asa Hutchinson has made it clear he wants to keep Arkansas' compromise Medicaid expansion in place through the end of next year, what's less certain is what happens after then for the thousands receiving health coverage through the program.
Hutchinson's proposal to reauthorize the "private option" and create a task force to look at health care reforms leaves plenty of unanswered questions about the future of a program providing health insurance to more than 213,000 people. The possibilities range from a similar program to a complete overhaul of the state's Medicaid system.
Lawmakers could move as quickly as next week on proposals setting up the task force and continuing the private option, crafted two years ago as an alternative to expanding Medicaid under the federal health law.
