Arkansas kicks 26,000 off Medicaid a week before Christmas for not filing change of address forms

The Arkansas Department of Human Services announced this week 80,000 people had been kicked off the state's Medicaid rolls -- and nearly a third of them were dropped for failing to report a change of address.

According to KFSM, the Department of Human Services said that the Tuesday announcement was part of the state's efforts to reduce the cost of the Medicaid program.

The department is reportedly using information technology initiatives to track down enrollees who are no longer eligible for the program, including people who receive benefits in multiple states or have failed file a change of address form.

Of the 80,000 cases that were closed, the state said that 16,467 no longer needed the benefits because they had taken new jobs, 25,742 were reportedly receiving benefits in two states and 26,100 were removed for having "bad addresses."

The department noted that recipients are required to file change of address forms to prove that they still live in the state. It was not immediately clear if those people would be notified that they are no longer covered by Medicaid.

The review of recipients of the Medicaid program was expected to continue through 2018.