Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said on Tuesday that the federal government has approved the state’s proposal to comprehensively reform its Medicaid program.

“This will enable 300,000 low-income Arkansas people to continue to receive healthcare under our qualified insurance plan that has been very successful in expanding healthcare in Arkansas,” Hutchinson said.

The state Department of Public Service submitted an overhaul proposal to the federal government this summer after requiring certain grantees to work before the plan was blocked by the court.

Like the current plan, the radically reformed expansion will continue to use Medicaid funds to provide private medical insurance for recipients.

Arkansas announced the proposal after the Biden administration began to cancel the Medicaid work requirements in Arkansas and several other states. A federal judge blocked the job request in Arkansas.

Hutchinson said on Tuesday that the federal government has not approved the state’s continued requirement that individuals with incomes above 100% of the federal poverty level pay a portion of their insurance premiums. He said that the current monthly premium of US$13 will last until the 2022 calendar year, but will not exceed it.