Arkansas families are confronting a troubling surge in the number of babies without health insurance. The Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families released a report indicating that the share of infants (ages 0‑1) lacking coverage rose from 2.2% in 2018 to 7.6% in 2024 – more than a three‑fold increase.
Overall child insurance trends
Uninsured rates for all children in the state also climbed, moving from 4.1% in 2016 to 7.7% in 2024, nearly doubling over the six‑year span. Preteens and teens (ages 11‑18) historically carry the highest uninsured rates, but in 2024 they were slightly better off at 7.4% compared with infants.
State context and Medicaid coverage
Arkansas remains the only state that has not expanded postpartum Medicaid eligibility to a full year after birth. Current pregnancy Medicaid covers new mothers for only 60 days, though newborns of Medicaid‑covered mothers have been guaranteed a year of coverage under federal law since the 1980s.
Infant mortality in Arkansas was the second‑highest in the nation in 2024, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, underscoring the urgency of improving coverage and care.
Governor Sanders’ response
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders highlighted her administration’s commitment to mothers and babies. Spokesman Sam Dubke cited the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act, signed in February 2025, which earmarks $45 million annually for initiatives such as presumptive eligibility for pregnant women, reimbursement for doulas and lactation consultants, and higher reimbursement rates for providers.
“Governor Sanders has made the health of Arkansas moms and babies a priority,” Dubke said, emphasizing that the legislation is designed to address the very gaps the report reveals.
State Department of Human Services perspective
Gavin Lesnick, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Human Services, noted that the report relies on data from 2024, predating several recent maternal‑health reforms. He indicated that more current state‑level figures are not yet available, and that the department is working with the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care to conduct direct outreach to pregnant women and new mothers about Medicaid benefits.
Underlying factors
The report points to the 2023 Medicaid “unwinding” as a possible contributor. During the COVID‑19 public‑health emergency, the federal government paused disenrollments to maintain continuous coverage. After the emergency ended, Arkansas compressed the required re‑enrollment period from the federal 12‑month guideline to six months, resulting in the sixth‑highest state share of Medicaid coverage losses among children. Approximately 187,000 Arkansans were disenrolled, with over half under age 18.
Comparisons and national picture
Arkansas now ties with Missouri for the sixth‑highest rate of uninsured infants and toddlers (ages 0‑3) at 7.3%, more than two percentage points above the national average of 5.1%. Nationally, the uninsured rate for infants and toddlers rose from 3.5% in 2016 to 5.1% in 2024.
What’s next?
While the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act represents a significant investment, analysts and advocates caution that its impact on infant insurance rates remains to be seen. Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families’ health policy director, Camille Richoux, admitted uncertainty about the drivers behind the dramatic increase in uninsured infants.
Stakeholders across the state will be watching closely as outreach efforts expand and as the next round of Medicaid data becomes available, hoping that the new funding and policy changes will reverse the upward trend and improve health outcomes for Arkansas’ youngest residents.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
