Legal Aid sues DHS again over algorithm denial of benefits to disabled: Update with DHS comment

The seven plaintiffs in the suit are low-income individuals with disabilities including cerebral palsy, quadriplegia, multiple sclerosis and other debilitating illnesses whose Medicaid ARChoices benefits were cut by an average of 43 percent.

Blog Post (Arkansas)

Leslie Newell Peacock
Arkansas Times
January 27, 2017
READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Tags: Disability Rights, Medicaid

Organizations mentioned/involved: Legal Aid of Arkansas (LAA) (Jonesboro, AR)


DETAILS

DHS has used what Legal Aid calls a “secret” algorithm since Jan. 1, 2016, rather than the discretion of a trained nurse to determine benefits. Legal Aid alleges in the suit that DHS did not seek public input or oversight into the algorithm, a violation of the Administrative Procedures Act; if it prevails, DHS will have to submit the algorithm, called RUGs, for public vetting.