expansion

Black woman holding newborn baby in hospital bed

Postpartum Medicaid expansion is the first step to maternal health equity, experts say 

BY: - March 29, 2023

Arkansas has the highest maternal mortality rate in the United States: 43.5 deaths from 2018 to 2021 for every 100,000 live births, according to the latest federal data. But the state only extends postpartum Medicaid to 60 days after childbirth.  A bill by Rep. Aaron Pilkington, R-Knoxville, aims to change that and would seek to […]

U.S. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) viewed an authentic Butterfield stagecoach, a piece of the trail’s history earlier this year. A Boozman-authored bill to designate the Butterfield Overland Mail route a National Historic Trail is headed to President Biden to be signed into law. (Photo courtesy of Boozman's office)

Butterfield Overland Trail historic designation headed to Biden’s desk

BY: - December 22, 2022

Legislation designating a stage coach route that ran through Arkansas from 1858-1861 as a National Historic Trail is headed to the president’s desk to be signed into law. The bill, authored by Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas, passed the House on Thursday, according to a press release from the senator’s office. The law […]

Mississippi moms and babies suffer disproportionately; Medicaid expansion could help.

BY: - November 22, 2022

During her 14 years working as an OB-GYN in Greenville, Dr. Lakeisha Richardson has seen five patients diagnosed with breast cancer during their pregnancies. Most of them did not have health insurance prior to pregnancy, so going to the doctor for annual checkups was neither affordable nor routine. They missed out on clinical screenings and […]

Rep. David Whitaker speaks to a crowd of supporters during Farmington campaign event

ON THE TRAIL: Democrat David Whitaker wants to tweak Medicaid expansion

BY: - October 13, 2022

Incumbent state Rep. David Whitaker, a Democrat, faces Republican Brian Hester in the race to fill the newly created House District 22. You can find a story about Hester here.  FARMINGTON — Three weeks before the start of early voting, Rep. David Whitaker (D-Fayetteville) called this part of his re-election campaign the chute. Much like […]

Arkana Laboratories executive director Chris Larsen speaks at a podium on a green lawn. Guest speakers sit behind him in white chairs.

$30-million Arkana Laboratories expansion to create Little Rock jobs

BY: - September 7, 2022

Little Rock-based Arkana Laboratories is launching a $30-million expansion project that will create 74 new positions by 2028. As the largest renal pathology lab in the country, Arkana Laboratories processes an estimated 40% of the country’s kidney biopsies. The company makes more than $30 million annually, and some of its best-known competitors include the Mayo […]