Why Arkansas could be a model for Mississippi Medicaid expansion

How has the program impacted Arkansas? Thompson: For starters, it cut our adult uninsured rate, which had been among the highest in the nation, by half. Newly insured Arkansans gained access to treatment for chronic conditions that had gone untreated for years, as well as preventive care that allowed them to avoid other health problems and associated costs. The newly insured also became able to pay for hospital visits, reducing uncompensated care costs at Arkansas hospitals by more than half. Since 2012, no rural Arkansas hospital has closed without being reopened or replaced, while 59 rural hospitals have closed in the six states surrounding Arkansas, including five hospitals in Mississippi.