Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 867 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1850 3
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By: Representatives L. Johnson, Perry 5
By: Senator Irvin 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING GROUND AMBULANCE 9
SERVICES; TO CLARIFY THE MINIMUM ALLOWABLE 10
REIMBURSEMENT FOR GROUND AMBULANCE SERVICES; TO 11
DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 12
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Subtitle 15
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING GROUND 16
AMBULANCE SERVICES; TO CLARIFY THE 17
MINIMUM ALLOWABLE REIMBURSEMENT FOR 18
GROUND AMBULANCE SERVICES; AND TO 19
DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 20
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 22
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 23 -99-1802(a), concerning the minimum 24
allowable reimbursement for ground ambulance services, is amended to read as 25
follows: 26
(a)(1) The minimum allowable reimbursement rate under any health 27
benefit plan issued by a healthcare insurer to a participating ground 28
ambulance service provider or an out -of-network ground ambulance service 29
provider shall be at the rates approved or contracted between an the 30
ambulance service provider and a the local government entity as provided for 31
in § 14-266-105. 32
(2) In On and after July 1, 2025, in the absence of rates set as 33
provided under subdivision (a)(1) of this section, the minimum allowable rate 34
of reimbursement under a health benefit plan issued by a healthcare insurer 35
shall be the lesser of: 36 HB1850
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(A) The rate established by the Workers' Compensation 1
Commission under its medical fee schedule for ambulance services Three 2
hundred twenty-five percent (325%) of the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule, 3
Arkansas Rural Rate, as established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 4
Services at the time of the date of service for the same service provided ; or 5
(B) The provider's billed charges. 6
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SECTION 2. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 8
General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that it is necessary to resolve a 9
conflict regarding in -network and out-of-network reimbursement rates for 10
ambulance services; that the conflict is causing confusion between ambulance 11
providers, insurers, and the State Insurance Department; and that this act is 12
immediately necessary because to alleviate confusion concerning reimbursement 13
rates for ambulance services. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist, 14
and this act being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public 15
peace, health, and safety shall become effective on: 16
(1) The date of its approval by the Governor; 17
(2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, 18
the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the 19
bill; or 20
(3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is 21
overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto. 22
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APPROVED: 4/17/25 25
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