Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1287 3
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By: Representative L. Johnson 5
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE HEALTHCARE CONTRACTING 9
SIMPLIFICATION ACT; TO DEFINE "DOWNCODE" UNDER THE 10
HEALTHCARE CONTRACTING SIMPLIFICATION ACT; TO REQUIRE 11
NOTIFICATION BY CONTRACTING ENTITIES OF DOWNCODING 12
CERTAIN HEALTHCARE SERVICES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
TO AMEND THE HEALTHCARE CONTRACTING 17
SIMPLIFICATION ACT; TO DEFINE "DOWNCODE" 18
UNDER THE HEALTHCARE CONTRACTING 19
SIMPLIFICATION ACT; AND TO REQUIRE 20
NOTIFICATION BY CONTRACTING ENTITIES OF 21
DOWNCODING. 22
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 24
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code ยง 23 -99-1202, concerning definitions used 26
under the Healthcare Contracting Simplification Act, is amended to add an 27
additional subdivision to read as follows: 28
(14) "Downcode" means to change a claim to a lower -cost 29
healthcare service than what was contained in the original claim that a 30
healthcare provider submitted or billed to a contracting entity. 31
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 23, Chapter 99, Subchapter 12, is 33
amended to add an additional section to read as follows: 34
23-99-1211. Notice required for downcode of claim. 35
A contracting entity that downcodes a claim submitted by a healthcare 36 HB1287
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provider shall provide notice to the healthcare provider of the downcoding 1
within thirty (30) days of processing the claim. 2
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