Medicaid in Arkansas is run by the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), not by a city hall or a separate county agency. If you are looking for a Medicaid office in Arkansas, you are really looking for a DHS county office, plus the online and phone channels DHS uses to process applications. Our directory currently lists one office: the Little Rock Arkansas Medicaid Office at 1020 West 4th Street in Pulaski County, phone 501-375-3124. This page explains who handles what, how eligibility works, and how to prepare before you go.

Who Runs Medicaid in Arkansas: DHS, Counties and the Federal Rules

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program created under Title XIX of the Social Security Act. Washington sets the broad rules and pays a large share of the cost. Each state then designs its own version within those rules. In Arkansas, DHS is the single state agency responsible for the program.

Two parts of DHS matter most to everyday residents. The Division of County Operations handles eligibility. It takes applications, checks income and household size, requests missing documents, and mails the notices that tell you whether you were approved or denied. The Division of Medical Services manages the program itself, including covered services, provider enrollment and payment policy.

This split has a practical meaning. Staff at a county office can help you apply, update your address, report a change in income, or ask about the status of a renewal. They generally cannot settle a billing dispute with your doctor or approve a procedure. Those questions go to your provider, your health plan if you have one, or the Medicaid program's provider and member help lines.

Arkansas has 75 counties, and DHS keeps a county office presence across the state. Over the past several years the agency has steered people toward online applications and phone support. That means a county office is often the place for in-person help, document drop-off or a problem that did not get solved remotely. It is not always the first step.

The Little Rock Medicaid Office in Pulaski County

The one office in our database is the Little Rock Arkansas Medicaid Office, at 1020 West 4th Street in Little Rock. Little Rock is the state capital and the seat of Pulaski County, the most populous county in Arkansas. The office phone is 501-375-3124.

Because Little Rock is also home to DHS headquarters and many state agencies, people sometimes assume every Medicaid question can be settled there. That is not quite right. Eligibility is tied to the county where you live, and a Pulaski County office serves Pulaski County cases. If you live in Saline, Faulkner or Lonoke County, the office for your own county is usually the right place to start, even though it may be a short drive from the capital.

Call 501-375-3124 before you travel. Ask three things: whether the office takes walk-ins or only appointments, what hours it keeps that day, and which documents your situation requires. Confirming this takes a few minutes and can save a wasted trip downtown, where parking and security checks add time.

If you live in the area and want to see what else is listed nearby, visit our page for Pulaski County. It shows the same listing with the details we hold for it.

Which Arkansas Medicaid Programs Residents Ask About Most

Medicaid is not one benefit. Arkansas runs several coverage groups, each with its own income and eligibility rules. Knowing which group fits you makes the application go faster.

ARHOME for working-age adults

Arkansas expanded Medicaid to low-income adults in 2014 through what was first called the Private Option, later Arkansas Works. Since January 2022 the program has operated as ARHOME, short for Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me. It covers adults aged 19 to 64 whose income falls at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level. Coverage is delivered mostly through private plans purchased on the person's behalf.

ARKids First for children

ARKids First covers children and teens, and its income limits are higher than those for adults. It has two tiers, often called ARKids A and ARKids B. Tier B can involve small copayments, while tier A does not. Pregnant women also have their own coverage category, with income limits that differ from the adult rules.

Aged, blind and disabled coverage

Older adults and people with disabilities may qualify under separate rules that look at income and, in many cases, countable resources. This category also includes Medicare Savings Programs, which help pay Medicare premiums and sometimes cost-sharing for people with limited income. If you are on Medicare and your budget is tight, ask about these programs by name.

Long-term care and home-based services

Nursing facility care and home and community-based services have additional financial and medical-need tests. Arkansas also uses the PASSE model, which stands for Provider-led Arkansas Shared Savings Entity, to coordinate care for people with significant behavioral health needs or developmental disabilities. If you or a family member is placed in one of these plans, your care coordinator becomes an important contact alongside DHS.

City and Delta Differences: Metro Little Rock Versus Rural Arkansas

The experience of applying for Medicaid in Arkansas depends heavily on where you live. Central Arkansas, including Little Rock, North Little Rock and the surrounding suburbs, has the densest concentration of offices, clinics, hospitals and community organizations that help with paperwork. Someone in Pulaski County can often reach a DHS office, a federally qualified health center and a legal aid provider within a single afternoon.

Much of the rest of the state looks different. The Delta counties along the Mississippi River, the Ozark and Ouachita mountain areas and the southern timber counties have long distances between towns and fewer public offices. A round trip to a county seat can take an hour or more, and public transportation is limited or absent. Broadband access also varies, which affects how easy it is to apply online.

Rural residents should lean on the tools that do not require travel:

Medicaid also covers non-emergency medical transportation in many situations, which can matter if the nearest specialist is far away. Ask your health plan or DHS how to arrange a ride before an appointment, because these trips usually must be scheduled in advance.

What to Bring and When to Go to an Arkansas Medicaid Office

A visit goes best when you arrive with the right papers. Arkansas follows federal verification rules, so staff must see proof of identity, residency, income and, for some programs, resources. Missing items are the most common reason a case stalls.

As for timing, mid-week mornings are usually quieter than Mondays or the days right after a holiday. Do not wait until the last day of a renewal period. If you receive a notice asking for information, the response deadline printed on it is the one that counts, and missing it can end coverage even if you still qualify. Keep your mailing address and phone number current with DHS so those notices actually reach you.

If you disagree with a denial or a reduction in benefits, the notice explains how to request an appeal, and the time limit is short. Act quickly and keep the notice in hand when you call.

Medicaid in Arkansas is administered by the state health and human services agency, providing health coverage for eligible low-income residents through a combination of fee-for-service and managed care delivery systems tailored to the state's population needs.

Medicaid Office locations are available in 1 cities across Arkansas. They are spread across 1 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Little Rock, which have the largest Medicaid caseloads in the state and dedicated eligibility offices to serve high-need urban populations.

Residents of Arkansas can apply for Medicaid online through the state's health benefits portal or health exchange, by calling the Medicaid agency's toll-free number, or by visiting a local eligibility office with the required documentation.

Little Rock Arkansas Medicaid Office

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Little Rock Arkansas Medicaid Office

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Residents of Arkansas who currently receive Medicaid should complete their annual renewal on time to avoid a gap in coverage. Most states send renewal notices by mail and email, and online renewal is typically the fastest method to maintain uninterrupted healthcare coverage.

Browse Medicaid Office by county across Arkansas to find the nearest location.

Using the Arkansas Medicaid Listing Wisely

Our directory shows a single Medicaid office in Arkansas, the Little Rock Arkansas Medicaid Office at 1020 West 4th Street in Pulaski County, phone 501-375-3124. That one listing does not mean the rest of the state lacks services. DHS serves all 75 counties, and many of its functions run by phone, mail and online portal rather than from a storefront.

Treat the listing as a verified starting point. Call first, confirm the hours and ask whether your issue needs an appointment. If you live outside Pulaski County, ask the Little Rock staff or the DHS help line which county office handles your address. Write down the name of anyone you speak with, the date and any reference number you are given.

Information on this page is general. Income limits, covered benefits and procedures are updated by DHS and can change from year to year, so use your official notice or a direct call to DHS as the final word on your own case.

The Arkansas Department of Human Services administers Medicaid for the whole state. Within DHS, the Division of County Operations determines whether you are eligible and processes applications and renewals, while the Division of Medical Services oversees covered benefits, provider rules and payment policy. If you have a question about your eligibility, your notice, or your case status, you are dealing with county operations. If your question concerns a provider, a claim or a covered service, the medical services side or your health plan is more likely to help.

The Little Rock Arkansas Medicaid Office in our database is at 1020 West 4th Street, Little Rock, in Pulaski County. Its listed phone number is 501-375-3124. Call before you go to ask about hours, appointment requirements and the documents you should bring. Little Rock is the state capital, so downtown traffic and parking can slow you down. Allow extra time, carry a photo ID, and bring any DHS letter you have received so staff can find your case quickly.

ARHOME, short for Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me, is the state's Medicaid expansion program for adults. It replaced Arkansas Works at the start of 2022. It is aimed at adults aged 19 to 64 with income at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level who do not qualify under another category. Most enrollees receive coverage through private health plans paid for by Medicaid. Because dollar limits change each year with the poverty guidelines, check the current figure with DHS before you decide whether to apply.

ARKids First is the Arkansas program for children and teens, and it reaches families whose income is too high for adult Medicaid. It has two tiers. ARKids A is full Medicaid for children in lower-income households, and ARKids B serves families with somewhat higher income and may involve small copayments for certain services. Parents usually apply for the whole household at once. Bring proof of income, the child's Social Security number or proof of application, and proof that the child lives in Arkansas. DHS then decides which tier fits.

No. Arkansas accepts Medicaid applications online through the state's benefits portal, and DHS also takes applications by phone and mail. An in-person visit is mainly useful if you need help with the form, have trouble uploading documents, or want to hand in papers directly. In rural counties, where the nearest office may be a long drive, remote options are often faster. Whichever route you choose, keep a record of the date you applied, since that date can affect when your coverage begins.

Coverage can be closed if DHS does not receive the information it asked for by the deadline on the notice, even when you still qualify. Many Arkansans lost coverage this way after the nationwide pause on Medicaid terminations ended in 2023, often because mail went to an old address. If your coverage stops, contact DHS right away. You may be able to return the missing papers within a grace period or reapply. Keeping your address and phone number current is the best protection.

Our database lists one office in Pulaski County, the Little Rock Arkansas Medicaid Office on West 4th Street. We do not list others, and we would rather not guess at locations we have not verified. If you live in North Little Rock, Jacksonville, Sherwood or another Pulaski County community, call 501-375-3124 and ask which site handles your case and whether you must appear in person. Staff can tell you the correct location for your address.