Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe paid a visit Wednesday to Texarkana to promote a state program to help more residents obtain health insurance.

ARHealthNet is designed to help small businesses provide affordable health insurance to their employees.

It is estimated more than 378,000 Arkansans between the ages of 18 and 64 are without health coverage. And many small businesses can’t afford to provide coverage because of high costs.

ARHealthNet is designed to relieve some of the employers’ burden while offering basic coverage at a low price.

According to the ARHealthNet Website:

n ARHealthNet is available only to employers who have not offered a group health plan to their employees within the past 12 months or longer.

n Employer group size must be a minimum of 2 and maximum of 500 full-time (at least 30 hours per week) employees.

n All full-time employees must participate in ARHealthNet coverage or have documented coverage under another group health plan (for example coverage under a spouse’s plan).

n At least one employee must qualify for subsidized premiums by having an annual household income at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. For example, a family of four with an annual income of $40,000.

Employees who work more than 30 hours per week can get coverage and their spouses are eligible as well, but not children.

Premiums will be at a standard rate based on gender and age, but subsidized premiums are available to those who meet the following qualifications:

n Subsidized premiums will be provided for employees who meet the following qualifications (coverage to all others will be at the basic premium rate based on gender and age):

n Must live in Arkansas.

n To qualify for lower premiums, employees must be between the ages of 19 and 64.

n Must be a U.S. citizen

n Annual household income is 200 percent or less of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

The program has a maximum annual benefit of $100,000 and offers six office visits to physicians per year, seven inpatient days, two major outpatient services per year and two prescriptions per month. The annual deductible is $100 and there are co-pays in place.

The lack of health insurance is a major problem for many working Arkansans. This program will go a long way to help the uninsured have some protection against high medical costs.