How to Read an Arkansas DHS Notice of Action
What a Notice of Action Is
Every time Arkansas DHS makes a decision about your Medicare Savings Program case — approval, denial, change, or closure — they send a written notice called a Notice of Action, printed on Form DCO-700. This is the official record of what DHS decided and why.
These notices arrive by mail and can be dense. Understanding what each part says is the difference between catching a fixable error and losing benefits you're entitled to.
What an Approval Notice Looks Like
An approval notice states which program you've been approved for (QMB, SLMB, or QI) and the effective date of coverage. For QMB, that date is the first of the month after the approval decision. For SLMB and QI, it may be retroactive up to three months before your application.
The notice also lists the income and asset figures DHS used in their calculation. Check these carefully against your actual numbers. If DHS counted income you believe should have been excluded — VA Aid and Attendance, for example — that's a calculation error worth disputing before it affects your next renewal.
Keep the DCO-700 approval notice permanently. You'll need it to prove QMB status if a doctor tries to balance-bill you, if a pharmacy doesn't have your Extra Help in the system yet, or at your next renewal.
What a Denial or Closure Notice Tells You
A denial notice states the reason DHS determined you don't qualify. Common reasons include:
- Income over the limit — Check whether DHS applied the $20 unearned income disregard. If your gross income is $1,365 and the notice shows countable income of $1,365, they may have skipped the disregard, which should bring it down to $1,345 (under QMB's $1,350 limit).
- Assets over the limit — Verify they excluded your home, one vehicle, and burial arrangements. Joint bank accounts are sometimes counted in full when a portion belongs to a co-owner.
- Missing documentation — DHS closed the case because verification documents weren't received on time. If you sent them, gather your proof of submission.
A closure notice during renewal means DHS is ending your current coverage. The most important number on this notice is the date — you have 10 calendar days from that date to request benefit continuation while you appeal, and your fair hearing request must be received by DHS within 30 calendar days.
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The 10-Day and 30-Day Deadlines
Every adverse notice carries two critical deadlines:
10 calendar days from the notice date: Request benefit continuation. If you submit a written request within this window, your MSP coverage stays active while the appeal is decided. Miss it, and your benefits stop on the date listed in the notice — even if you later win the appeal.
30 calendar days from the notice date: Make sure your fair hearing request is received by the DHS Office of Appeals and Hearings. You can submit by email at [email protected], by mail to P.O. Box 1437, Slot S101, Little Rock, AR 72203, or using Form DHS-1200.
These deadlines run from the date printed on the notice, not the date you received it. If the notice sat in the mailbox over a weekend, those days still count.
Verification Request Notices
Sometimes DHS sends a notice requesting additional documents — not a denial, but a hold. They need specific paperwork before they can finish processing. The notice lists exactly what they need and a deadline for submitting it.
Respond immediately. If you can't get the documents by the deadline, call your county DHS office and explain, but do not assume the deadline has been extended.
Upload documents through Access Arkansas at access.arkansas.gov if you have an account. Keep screenshots or confirmation emails as proof of submission — if DHS claims they never received something, your upload timestamp is your evidence.
What to Do When a Notice Doesn't Make Sense
If the notice uses codes or language you don't understand, call the DHS client assistance line at 1-855-372-1084 and ask them to explain the decision in plain terms. You can also contact Arkansas SHIIP at 1-800-224-6330 for free help interpreting Medicare-related notices.
For denials you believe are wrong, don't just reapply — appeal. A new application restarts the clock, while an appeal preserves your original filing date and any retroactive coverage you're owed.
The Arkansas Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide includes a plain-language translation of every common notice type and a step-by-step response checklist so nothing falls through the cracks.
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