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The Government Accountability Office (GAO) says its audit of a demonstration program for Medicaid expansion in Arkansas shows that the program is not cost-neutral, which violates standards for allowing Medicaid experimentation.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) denies that the Arkansas program will cost the federal government $778 million more than if a standard Medicaid program were in place, as the GAO report claims.
In Arkansas’ case, “HHS did not ensure budget neutrality,” theGAOfound, potentially putting federal taxpayers on the hook for the state’s decision to expand Medicaid.
With a Democratic governor and Republican legislature, Arkansas agreed to expand its Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) but only if it could purchase private insurance for all the newly insured. Iowa so far is the only other state to be approved for this option.
For the full story on how the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) affects your business, no matter how large or small, get a copy of our comprehensive and easy-to-follow Affordable Care Act Compliance Kit.
Practical articles on HR, Safety, compliance, and people operations—written for real businesses, not legal textbooks.
U.S. Department of Labor Officially Restores Prior Overtime Exemption Rules
On May 14th, 2026, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced it has officially rescinded the 2024 overtime exemption rules. Specifically, the WHD published a technical amendment to restore previous 2019 regulations that dictated overtime exemptions for...
NLRB General Counsel Takes Action to Tackle Current Case Backlog
On May 6th, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and NLRB General Counsel Crystal Stowe Carey announced the bulk transfer of thousands of labor practice cases. Specifically, this action fulfills an initiative signed by the NLRB General Counsel earlier this year. Overall, the initiative...
Privacy Agency Invites Comments from Businesses on the CCPA’s Usage of Personal Data
Recently, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) issued a call for comments on the current state of personal data collection under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Specifically, the invitation to deliver remarks was issued on April 20th, 2026. The information provided by the...
DOL Proposes New Joint Employer Rule To Unify Standards Under Federal Labor Laws
In April 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a proposed rule to establish a single, clear standard for determining when joint-employer status applies under three major federal laws: the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Migrant and Seasonal...
DOL Updates Enforcement Approach for Employee Benefit Plans: What Employers Should Know
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced a significant change in its enforcement of employee benefit plan rules. The DOL will now focus more closely on serious violations that harm workers and retirees, meaning compliant employers may face less scrutiny under the updated approach.