Arkansas Medicaid Requirements

I know how hard it can be to find the actual requirements for Medicaid, and I have finally gotten the requirements for Arkansas Medicaid and thought I would share them:

“Medicaid has coverage for Gastric Bypass surgery.  They do not cover Lap Band surgery. 

In order to receive Medicaid coverage, you must have the following:

1.      1.   Be between the age of 16-60.

2.     2.    Current Medicaid referral from your primary care physician.

3.     3.    Be 100 pounds over ideal body weight.

4.     4.    Morbid obesity must have existed for at least 5 years with complete documentation.  Documentation must also indicate evidence that weight reduction was attempted under a physician’s supervision for a one year period during the last 18 months (this must be medical records of visits made to your physician along with a letter from your doctor).

5.     5.    Recent photograph of the patient.

6.     6.    Lab:  AM serum cortisol level, TSH, T-3, T-4, fasting blood sugar.

7.     7.    Psychiatric evaluation by a psychiatrist. They are looking for whether the patient has a realistic view of his/her situation, that they are capable of taking care of themselves, that they are self-sufficient and have no underlying psychiatric disease.”


I hope this is helpful to someone!