ARHIPP (Arkansas Health Insurance Premium Payment Program)

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 Navigating health insurance can be confusing—especially when your child has ongoing medical or therapy needs. ARHIPP is one program that can help some families reduce the cost of private health insurance while still receiving Medicaid benefit

 ARHIPP stands for the Arkansas Health Insurance Premium Payment Program.

ARHIPP is a Medicaid program that helps pay the cost of private or employer-sponsored health insurance premiums for families who qualify for Medicaid. Instead of replacing private insurance, ARHIPP allows families to keep their existing coverage while Medicaid helps offset the cost.

 ARHIPP is commonly beneficial for families whose child qualifies for Medicaid through TEFRA and who also have access to private or employer-sponsored insurance.

These families often:

• Have household income above standard Medicaid limits 
• Must maintain private insurance for coverage or provider access 
• Face high monthly premiums, deductibles, or out-of-pocket costs 
• Have children who need ongoing therapy or medical services
   

For these families, ARHIPP can make private insurance more affordable while Medicaid provides additional support.

 If approved for ARHIPP:

• Medicaid pays all or part of your monthly private insurance premium 
• Your private insurance remains your primary coverage 
• Medicaid may act as secondary coverage for eligible services 
• Families often experience lower overall healthcare costs
   

This arrangement can help reduce financial strain while allowing families to keep their preferred doctors, therapists, and specialists.

 Families often hear these programs mentioned together, but they do different things.

• TEFRA helps a child qualify for Medicaid based on disability, not parent income. 
• ARHIPP helps pay private insurance premiums when a child has Medicaid and access to employer-sponsored insurance.

Some families qualify for both:

• TEFRA provides Medicaid coverage 
• ARHIPP may help pay the private insurance premium
   

If this applies to your family, exploring both programs may help reduce overall healthcare costs.

 ARHIPP is administered through Arkansas Medicaid.

Families typically apply by:

1. Confirming Medicaid eligibility 
2. Providing information about their private or employer-sponsored insurance 
3. Completing ARHIPP-specific forms 
4. Waiting for a cost-effectiveness review and approval
    

You can apply or learn more about ARHIPP directly through Arkansas Medicaid:

👉 Apply for ARHIPP through Arkansas Medicaid

You will be taken to an official Arkansas Medicaid website. Real Life Resources does not process applications directly..

 ARHIPP may be worth exploring only if your family has access to private or employer-sponsored health insurance.

This access may include:

• Employer-sponsored health insurance 
• A spouse’s employer-sponsored plan 
• COBRA continuation coverage 
• Certain private health insurance plans
   

In general:

• TEFRA families with access to private insurance (including COBRA): Often yes 
• CHIP families: Usually no, but rare exceptions exist 
• Families without any access to private insurance: ARHIPP does not apply
   

If there is no available private insurance option, ARHIPP cannot be used—even if a child qualifies for Medicaid.

Eligibility is determined by Medicaid and includes a review of whether paying the insurance premium is cost-effective compared to traditional Medicaid coverage.

 ARHIPP exists because, in some cases, it actually costs the state less to help families keep private health insurance than it does for Medicaid to pay for all services directly.

When a child already has access to private or employer-sponsored insurance, Medicaid can:

• Pay the insurance premium 
• Allow the private plan to cover many services first 
• Step in as secondary coverage only when needed
   

This approach can reduce the total cost of care for the state while still ensuring children receive medically necessary services.

While ARHIPP is designed to be cost-effective for the state, it can also benefit families by:

• Lowering or eliminating expensive insurance premiums 
• Reducing out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and copays 
• Allowing families to keep established doctors and therapy providers
   

What saves the state money can also reduce financial and logistical stress for families.