Today, Arkansas Democratic Party Chair Grant Tennille released the following statement in response to Donald Trump and Arkansas Republicans’ scam to trade Arkansans’ health care for billionaire tax breaks: 

“From rural communities to seniors to children, millions of Americans rely on Medicaid funding to access the health care coverage they need. Instead of protecting and strengthening that care, Donald Trump and Republicans, including Rep. French Hill and the entire Arkansas delegation, have been hellbent on pushing through a budget that could put Medicaid on the chopping block for some 821,000 Arkansans in order to gift tax breaks to billionaires. 

No matter what, Arkansas Democrats will stand with Arkansans every day as we hold Trump and Republicans accountable for trying to defund health care to pay for their giveaway to billionaires.

We’re saying it loud and clear: Hands off Arkansas Medicaid.” 

A copy of Rep. French Hill’s response to constituents concerned about Medicaid includes blatant lies about Medicaid. Rep. Hill’s says, 

“I have never voted to end Medicare or Medicaid. I believe in protecting these programs, ensuring their longevity, and maintaining access to care for those who need it most.”

Arkansas Democratic Party Chair Grant Tennille responds:

“Rep. Hill is lying to you; he voted to slash essential funding for Medicaid.  There is bipartisan consensus from every major economist in the country that the reconciliation bill, passed by the GOP-controlled House of Representatives and voted for by Rep. French Hill and every member of Congress from Arkansas, will gut funds from Medicaid to give tax handouts to the richest Americans. There’s no other way to do the math.”

Politifact, Fox News, The New York Times, & MSNBC have all reported that the House Reconciliation bill will cut funding for Medicaid. 

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Arkansas Democratic Party Chair Grant Tennille will be available for press interviews via Zoom or in-person in Little Rock by texting 501-539-9987 or email [email protected]

House Republicans voted for a budget that would gut Medicaid and hurt millions of families to gift tax handouts to billionaires.

● Trump and House Republicans’ budget would force working families to foot the bill for massive tax handouts to the ultra-wealthy.

● The budget targets Medicaid funding, which threatens care for 1 in 5 Americans; upend funding for hospitals, and leave Arkansas with a massive budget shortfall. 

An overwhelming majority of voters support Medicaid funding and disapprove of Trump and Republicans’ tax scam. 

● Today, voters overwhelmingly disapprove of Donald Trump and Republicans’ massive tax handouts for billionaires, just as they did in 2017. 

● Nearly two in three are concerned that Trump will give tax handouts to Trump’s billionaire friends at the expense of programs Americans rely on. 

● Most Americans want to see Medicaid funding increased or remain the same – not cut.

Medicaid by Arkansas County

(2023, from Georgetown University)

County NameTotal Medicaid Coverage RateChild Medicaid/CHIP Coverage RateAdult Medicaid Coverage RateSenior Medicaid Coverage Rate
Arkansas County26.949.620.816.1
Ashley County30.154.123.919.1
Baxter County22.148.91911.2
Benton County18.836.113.48.6
Boone County23.643.91912.9
Bradley County29.451.322.917.2
Calhoun County23.246.718.613.3
Carroll County22.745.317.811.2
Chicot County35.861.228.128
Clark County28.350.721.917.7
Clay County25.74820.915.3
Cleburne County22.446.21912.2
Cleveland County25.54720.815.4
Columbia County30.352.823.521.5
Conway County28.551.922.817.2
Craighead County28.349.621.316.9
Crawford County25.145.819.713.6
Crittenden County33.955.425.923.9
Cross County2949.523.617.5
Dallas County28.352.12219.8
Desha County34.658.82723.6
Drew County2950.322.218.2
Faulkner County23.842.918.413.1
Franklin County26.448.321.713.9
Fulton County26.148.922.713.1
Garland County25.349.421.114.2
Grant County22.142.217.412
Greene County27.147.621.415.9
Hempstead County30.654.423.119.5
Hot Spring County26.549.822.214.6
Howard County28.150.121.416
Independence County26.547.420.814.4
Izard County2550.421.614.7
Jackson County28.552.423.418.6
Jefferson County31.957.224.623.3
Johnson County28.550.72215
Lafayette County30.354.725.221.8
Lawrence County28.249.522.817.3
Lee County35.762.427.931.7
Lincoln County24.946.721.119.9
Little River County25.147.920.312.9
Logan County24.445.42014.2
Lonoke County23.140.417.913
Madison County25.747.920.413
Marion County23.549.519.613.2
Miller County29.452.122.818.9
Mississippi County32.154.224.422.3
Monroe County32.357.225.324.6
Montgomery County24.249.220.614.1
Nevada County33.758.827.221.7
Newton County22.444.718.513.1
Ouachita County31.255.72421.8
Perry County24.947.320.212.9
Phillips County39.962.930.333.1
Pike County24.344.520.113.6
Poinsett County29.75024.318.9
Polk County25.848.121.113.5
Pope County26.44820.414
Prairie County23.547.319.312.6
Pulaski County27.351.120.318.1
Randolph County26.847.921.615
St. Francis County3660.928.229.2
Saline County21.139.516.710.8
Scott County2648.620.414.8
Searcy County2853.722.818.1
Sebastian County26.248.520.413.5
Sevier County27.349.719.112.2
Sharp County26.249.122.614.4
Stone County28.854.925.116.5
Union County28.850.822.119.4
Van Buren County26.150.222.614.7
Washington County22.241.915.612.4
White County26.346.320.815.3
Woodruff County28.948.42322.4
Yell County25.348.119.612.2