To apply for Arkansas Medicaid, submit an application through Access Arkansas online at access.arkansas.gov, by phone at 1-800-424-7895, by mail to the Division of Medical Services in Little Rock, or in person at your local DHS county office. The program is called “Health Care” by the state and covers children, adults, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities, with eligibility set by which coverage group you fall into.
Before you file, it helps to know which group fits your household, what to gather, and what the state does with your paperwork once it arrives.
Who Qualifies
Every applicant must be an Arkansas resident and either a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or a qualified non-citizen.1Arkansas Department of Human Services. Arkansas Medical Services Policy Manual Sections D-210 and D-224 Qualified non-citizens include refugees, asylees, and lawful permanent residents who are veterans or active-duty military, among other categories. Pregnant women and children who are “lawfully present” qualify under a broader standard that reaches people with temporary protected status, deferred action, and certain visa holders.
You don’t need a fixed address. If you live in Arkansas and otherwise qualify, you can use any mailing address on your application.2Arkansas Department of Human Services. Medical Services Policy Manual Section D – D-300 State Residency
Income limits are set against the Federal Poverty Level and differ by group:
- ARHOME, for adults 19–64, covers households at or below 138% of the FPL. The program uses Medicaid funds to purchase private health insurance for eligible adults who aren’t enrolled in Medicare.3Arkansas Department of Human Services. Overview of Significant Programs for DHS Beneficiaries4Arkansas Department of Human Services. ARHOME
- ARKids First A covers children in households up to 142% of the FPL, with no premiums or co-pays.3Arkansas Department of Human Services. Overview of Significant Programs for DHS Beneficiaries
- ARKids First B covers children in families with income above the ARKids A line but still within state limits, and requires co-payments for some services.5Arkansas Department of Human Services. ARKids First
- Pregnant women qualify at household income up to 209% of the FPL, which effectively reaches 214% after the standard 5% income disregard.6Legal Information Institute. 016.28.22 Ark. Code R. 008 – Expansion of Pregnant Women
Most groups look only at income. The exception is aged, blind, or disabled applicants pursuing long-term care or other traditional Medicaid pathways, who also face a $2,000 resource limit for an individual and $3,000 for a couple, along with a 60-month look-back on asset transfers and a home-equity cap for nursing facility coverage.7Arkansas Department of Human Services. Aged, Blind and Disabled Categories Quick Reference Chart8Arkansas Department of Human Services. Medical Services Policy Manual – Transfer of Assets If that’s your situation, plan the application with those extra rules in mind.
What to Gather Before You Apply
Arkansas uses two application forms: DCO-151 for single adults and DCO-152 for families. One family application covers everyone in the household.9Arkansas Department of Human Services. Apply For Services
Have the following ready:
- Social Security numbers for each person seeking coverage. A legal immigrant without an SSN can provide a document number instead. Household members who aren’t applying don’t have to provide an SSN, though doing so can speed up processing.10Arkansas Department of Human Services. Household Health Coverage Application DCO-152
- Income information such as recent pay stubs, W-2 forms, or wage and tax statements for employed household members.
- Health insurance details, including policy numbers for any current coverage and information about job-related health insurance available to the family.
One point that catches applicants off guard: you don’t attach proof of residency or identity upfront. DHS verifies most information electronically through the IRS, Social Security Administration, and Department of Homeland Security. Only if the electronic check turns up a mismatch will a caseworker contact you for specific documents.10Arkansas Department of Human Services. Household Health Coverage Application DCO-152
How to Submit the Application
Four channels, same eligibility determination at the end:
- Online at access.arkansas.gov is the quickest option. You can complete the household application and upload supporting documents directly.11Arkansas Department of Human Services. DCO-151 Single Adult Health Coverage Application
- By mail, download DCO-151 or DCO-152, complete it, and send it to: Department of Human Services, Division of Medical Services, P.O. Box 1437, Slot S401, Little Rock, AR 72203-1437.12Arkansas Department of Human Services. Contact DMS
- By phone, call the Access Arkansas Helpline at 1-800-424-7895 to start or finish an application with a representative.
- In person at a local DHS county office, where staff can help you fill out and submit the application on the spot.9Arkansas Department of Human Services. Apply For Services
Applying on Someone Else’s Behalf
Federal law lets a Medicaid applicant designate an authorized representative to sign the application, submit renewal paperwork, receive notices from DHS, and handle communications.13eCFR. 42 CFR 435.923 – Authorized Representatives In Arkansas, this means completing form DCO-153 (Consent for an Authorized Representative) and attaching it to the application.10Arkansas Department of Human Services. Household Health Coverage Application DCO-152 If you already hold power of attorney or court-appointed guardianship, that legal authority serves as the written designation, and no separate form is needed. The designation stays in place until the applicant revokes it or notifies DHS of a change.
Pregnant? You Can Start Prenatal Care Right Away
The full application can take weeks, and prenatal care shouldn’t wait. Arkansas’s Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women program (PE-PW) covers prenatal physician visits, emergency room prenatal visits, pregnancy-related prescriptions, and prenatal lab tests from the date of the PE-PW determination through the end of the following month, while the full application is reviewed.14Arkansas Department of Human Services. Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women (PE-PW) It does not cover hospital admissions, labor and delivery, or services unrelated to prenatal care.
To qualify, you must be an Arkansas resident, be pregnant, not already have Medicaid, not have received PE-PW during this pregnancy, and meet the income requirements. If DHS ultimately decides you don’t qualify for full Medicaid, you won’t owe anything for the care received under PE-PW; Arkansas Medicaid covers those visits regardless.14Arkansas Department of Human Services. Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women (PE-PW)
What Happens After You File
Federal rules give Arkansas 45 calendar days to decide most applications. Disability-based applications get up to 90 days because they require a separate medical review.15eCFR. 42 CFR 435.912 – Timeliness Standards
During the review, a DHS caseworker may send a Request for Information asking for additional documents or clarification. Answer quickly. If the electronic check produced a mismatch on income, residency, or citizenship, the caseworker needs your paperwork to move forward, and not responding can lead to a denial even when you would otherwise qualify.
Once DHS reaches a decision, you’ll receive a Notice of Eligibility in the mail. Approval notices spell out your coverage start date and the type of benefits.
Coverage for Bills from Before You Applied
If you had medical expenses before applying, some may be covered retroactively. For adults in the ARHOME expansion group, retroactive coverage reaches back 30 days from the application date, not the 90 days used in many other states.16Arkansas Department of Human Services. Medical Services Policy Manual Section A – Adult Expansion Group Retroactive Coverage The 30 days are date-specific and count back from the exact filing date, not the first of the month. Apply on September 15, and retroactive coverage can begin no earlier than August 16. If you have outstanding bills, filing sooner captures more of them.
If Your Application Is Denied
A denial notice will state the specific reason and your right to request an administrative hearing. You must submit the appeal in writing within 30 calendar days of the date on the denial letter, or DHS will reject the request as untimely.17Arkansas Department of Human Services. File an Appeal
Send the hearing request by email to DHS.Appeals@dhs.arkansas.gov or by mail to: Department of Human Services, Office of Appeals and Hearings, P.O. Box 1437, Slot S101, Little Rock, AR 72203-1437.17Arkansas Department of Human Services. File an Appeal State clearly which decision you disagree with and why. Common grounds include DHS miscalculating income, not counting all household members, or not receiving documents you submitted.