Tell your lawmakers to vote to re-authorize the Private Option in Arkansas!

The Private Option is a vitally important program to the working poor in our state. It covers people who are starting their own businesses, the self-employed, as well as students who are over 27 and looking to further their careers. It assists 215,000 low-income Arkansans who could not previously afford or were deemed "ineligible" due to pre-existing conditions to finally have health coverage, provide much-needed annual checkups, immunizations, mental health services, as well as saving an estimated 1,100 lives every year in our state. The program will also save the state money while injecting nearly a billion dollars to local health providers. As of February 26, there are 127,051 Arkansans who are currently enrolled and benefiting from the program, with a total of 189,000 applications submitted. The Private Option helps to lower the median age of the Arkansas Insurance Marketplace, which will help keep insurance rates on the exchange lower.

As you may have heard, the Private Option is under attack by some in the legislature. Some of the more conservative members of the House of Representatives and Senate would like to derail the Private Option. This would kick these hard working Arkansans off their new plans, as well as cost the state money. Arkansas has a provision for a balanced budget. In 2014 alone Arkansas will save $89 million by implementing the Private Option.

If the legislature successfully defunds the Private Option these savings will go away and one of two things will happen: 1) The legislature will have to repeal tax cuts, raising taxes on Arkansas families. 2) The state's budget will have to cut vital services to replace the money that the state is losing in lieu of defunding the Private Option, further harming our state.

Please help to ensure that the Private Option stays available to our state by signing and SHARING this petition and urge our lawmakers to re-authorize the Private Option!