Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas Senate Bill SB626 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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3	3	State of Arkansas 1
4	4	95th General Assembly A Bill 2
5	5	Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 626 3
6	6	4
7	7	By: Senator Irvin 5
8	8	By: Representative L. Johnson 6
9	9	7
10	10	For An Act To Be Entitled 8
11	11	AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING HEALTHCARE 9
12	12	PROVIDER REIMBURSEMENT; TO REQUIRE FAIR AND 10
13	13	TRANSPARENT REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR LICENSED 11
14	14	AMBULATORY SURGICAL CENTERS, OUTPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC 12
15	15	CENTERS, AND OUTPATIENT IMAGING FACILITIES; TO ENSURE 13
16	16	PARITY IN INSURANCE PAYMENTS FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES; 14
17	17	TO AMEND THE BILLING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF PATIENTS 15
18	18	ACT; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 16
19	19	17
20	20	18
21	21	Subtitle 19
22	22	TO REQUIRE FAIR AND TRANSPARENT 20
23	23	REIMBURSEMENT RATES; TO ENSURE PARITY OF 21
24	24	HEALTHCARE SERVICES; TO AMEND THE 22
25	25	BILLING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF PATIENTS 23
26	26	ACT; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 24
27	27	25
28	28	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 26
29	29	27
30	30	SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative findings and intent. 28
31	31	(a) The General Assembly finds that: 29
32	32	(1) Disparities in the reimbursement rates for medical and 30
33	33	imaging services performed at hospital -based outpatient departments and 31
34	34	other licensed outpatient healthcare facilities can create barriers to 32
35	35	competition, reduce patient access to cost -effective care, and impose 33
36	36	unnecessary financial burdens on healthcare providers providing medical and 34
37	37	outpatient imaging services outside of hospital facilities; 35
38	38	(2) In Ark. Blue Cross & Blue Shield v. Freeway Surgery Ctr., 36 SB626
39	39
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41	41	2024 Ark. App. 540, the Arkansas Court of Appeals interpreted Arkansas law in 1
42	42	a manner that permits insurers to reimburse licensed ambulatory surgical 2
43	43	centers at rates lower than those paid to hospital -based facilities for the 3
44	44	same outpatient services despite the clear legislative intent to ensure 4
45	45	reimbursement on an equal basis; 5
46	46	(3) The interpretation in Ark. Blue Cross & Blue Shield v. 6
47	47	Freeway Surgery Ctr., 2024 Ark. App. 540. undermines competition in the 7
48	48	healthcare marketplace, disincentivizes cost -efficient alternatives to 8
49	49	hospital-based care, and imposes financial hardships on providers operating 9
50	50	in nonhospital settings; and 10
51	51	(4) Transparency in reimbursement methodologies will promote 11
52	52	fairness in the healthcare marketplace and ensure that insurers comply with 12
53	53	existing state laws governing provider reimbursement. 13
54	54	(b) It is the intent of the General Assembly in enacting this act to: 14
55	55	(1) Ensure fair and equitable reimbursement rates for medical or 15
56	56	imaging services performed at licensed ambulatory surgical centers, 16
57	57	outpatient psychiatric centers, and outpatient imaging facilities; 17
58	58	(2) Amend the law to clarify that insurers shall not reimburse 18
59	59	licensed ambulatory surgical centers at rates lower than those applied to 19
60	60	hospital-based outpatient departments for equivalent healthcare services, 20
61	61	thereby making the holding in Ark. Blue Cross & Blue Shield v. Freeway 21
62	62	Surgery Ctr., 2024 Ark. App. 540, no longer applicable; 22
63	63	(3) Reaffirm the requirement that insurers establish fair, 23
64	64	transparent, and nondiscriminatory reimbursement methodologies that ensure 24
65	65	insurers reimburse all licensed healthcare facilities on an equal basis for 25
66	66	performing the same medical, surgical, or imaging services under § 23 -79-115; 26
67	67	and 27
68	68	(4) Require insurers to: 28
69	69	(A) Reimburse licensed ambulatory surgical centers, 29
70	70	outpatient imaging providers' facilities or centers, and outpatient 30
71	71	psychiatric centers on an equal basis as hospitals and hospital -based 31
72	72	outpatient departments for the same medical, surgical, and imaging services; 32
73	73	(B) Disclose the insurer's reimbursement methodologies and 33
74	74	rates to contracted providers; and 34
75	75	(C) Ensure that reimbursement rates for services at 35
76	76	ambulatory surgical centers, outpatient imaging providers facilities or 36 SB626
77	77
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79	79	centers, and outpatient psychiatric centers: 1
80	80	(i) Are not set below ninety percent (90%) of the 2
81	81	average hospital-based outpatient rate for the same service in the applicable 3
82	82	county or otherwise in county with the closest hospital facility; and 4
83	83	(ii) Apply retroactively to all reimbursement claims 5
84	84	and contracts in effect as of the effective date of this act, including any 6
85	85	pending claims, disputes, or litigation concerning the reimbursement of 7
86	86	services provided by ambulatory surgical centers, outpatient imaging 8
87	87	providers' facilities or centers, and outpatient psychiatric centers. 9
88	88	10
89	89	SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 23 -79-101 is amended to read as follows: 11
90	90	23-79-101. Definitions. 12
91	91	As used in this chapter: 13
92	92	(1) "Excepted benefits" means benefits under one (1) or more, or 14
93	93	any combination thereof, of the following: 15
94	94	(A) Benefits not subject to requirements, including 16
95	95	without limitation: 17
96	96	(i) Coverage only for accident or disability income 18
97	97	insurance, or any combination thereof; 19
98	98	(ii) Coverage issued as a supplement to liability 20
99	99	insurance; 21
100	100	(iii) Liability insurance, including general 22
101	101	liability insurance and automobile liability insurance; 23
102	102	(iv) Workers' compensation or similar insurance; 24
103	103	(v) Automobile medical payment insurance; 25
104	104	(vi) Credit-only insurance; and 26
105	105	(vii) Other similar insurance coverage, specified in 27
106	106	regulations, under which benefits for medical care are secondary or 28
107	107	incidental to other insurance benefits; 29
108	108	(B) Limited-scope dental or vision benefits; 30
109	109	(C) Benefits for long -term care, nursing home care, home 31
110	110	health care, community -based care, or any combination thereof; 32
111	111	(D) Coverage only for a specified disease or illness; 33
112	112	(E) Hospital indemnity or other fixed indemnity insurance; 34
113	113	and 35
114	114	(F) Medicare supplemental health insurance as defined 36 SB626
115	115
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117	117	under section 1882(g)(1) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1
118	118	1395ss(g)(1), coverage supplemental to the coverage provided under 10 U.S.C. 2
119	119	§ 1071 et seq., and similar supplemental coverage; 3
120	120	(2) "Hospital-based outpatient department" means a healthcare 4
121	121	facility that provides outpatient services to a patient at an on -site 5
122	122	hospital-operated outpatient clinic or other hospital -affiliated clinic 6
123	123	location; 7
124	124	(3) "Hospital-based outpatient department service" means a 8
125	125	healthcare service paid with an insurer’s payment system to a hospital for 9
126	126	outpatient services, including without limitation imaging, surgery, and 10
127	127	medical services, that are performed at a hospital -based outpatient 11
128	128	department; 12
129	129	(4) "Outpatient imaging facility or center" means a healthcare 13
130	130	facility or provider that provides diagnostic and advanced imaging services 14
131	131	to patients and uses Current Procedural Terminology codes 70010 –79999 to bill 15
132	132	for the facility component of imaging services; 16
133	133	(5) "Policy" means the written contract of or written agreement 17
134	134	for or effecting insurance, by whatever name called, and includes all 18
135	135	clauses, riders, endorsements, and papers made a part thereof; and 19
136	136	(3)(A)(6)(A) "Premium" is the consideration for insurance, by 20
137	137	whatever name called. 21
138	138	(B) Any assessment, or any membership, policy, survey, 22
139	139	inspection, service, or similar fee or charge in consideration for a policy 23
140	140	is deemed part of the premium ; and 24
141	141	(7) "The same or similar healthcare service" means a healthcare 25
142	142	service provided to a patient identified by the same or a substantially 26
143	143	similar Current Procedural Terminology code developed by the American Medical 27
144	144	Association. 28
145	145	29
146	146	SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 23 -79-115 is amended to read as follows: 30
147	147	23-79-115. Entitlement notwithstanding policy provisions — Services 31
148	148	performed by outpatient centers. 32
149	149	(a)(1)(A) Notwithstanding any provisions of any individual or group 33
150	150	accident and health insurance policy, or any provision of a policy, contract, 34
151	151	plan, or agreement covering hospital or medical services, in cases in which 35
152	152	the policy, contract, plan, or agreement provides for payment or 36 SB626
153	153
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155	155	reimbursement for any healthcare service provided by hospitals or related 1
156	156	facilities When an insurer under a policy, contract, plan, or agreement 2
157	157	agrees to pay or reimburse for a healthcare service provided at or by a 3
158	158	hospital or related facility as defined in § 20-9-201 or § 20-10-213, the 4
159	159	healthcare provider, healthcare facility, or other person entitled to payment 5
160	160	or reimbursement for any healthcare services at a licensed ambulatory surgery 6
161	161	center, outpatient surgery center, or outpatient imaging facility or center 7
162	162	under the policy, contract, plan, or agreement and is entitled to payment or 8
163	163	reimbursement on an equal basis for the service when the service is provided 9
164	164	by facilities licensed as outpatient surgery centers under §§ 20 -9-214 and 10
165	165	20-9-215 be payment or reimbursement at a rate that is no less than ninety 11
166	166	percent (90%) of the rate paid to a hospital or related facility for the same 12
167	167	or similar healthcare service, as identified by the its designated Current 13
168	168	Procedural Terminology code . 14
169	169	(B) This subdivision (a)(1) applies notwithstanding any 15
170	170	provision of: 16
171	171	(i) An individual or group accident and health 17
172	172	insurance policy; 18
173	173	(ii) A policy, contract, plan, or agreement covering 19
174	174	hospital or medical services; 20
175	175	(iii) A network participation agreement; or 21
176	176	(iv) An agreement between an insurer and a 22
177	177	healthcare provider. 23
178	178	(2) This subsection Subdivision (a)(1) of this section applies 24
179	179	to insurance policies and hospital service corporation contracts that are 25
180	180	delivered or issued for delivery in this state more than one hundred twenty 26
181	181	(120) days after July 6, 1977, and to such other contracts, plans, or 27
182	182	agreements that are entered into or effectuated in this state more than one 28
183	183	hundred twenty (120) days after July 6, 1977 , including without limitation 29
184	184	network participation agreements or any agreement between an insurer and a 30
185	185	healthcare provider. 31
186	186	(b)(1)(A) Notwithstanding any provisions of any individual or group 32
187	187	accident and health insurance policy, or any provision of a policy, contract, 33
188	188	plan, or agreement covering hospital or medical services, in cases in which 34
189	189	the policy, contract, plan, or agreement provides for payment or 35
190	190	reimbursement for any healthcare service provided by hospitals or related 36 SB626
191	191
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193	193	facilities When an insurer under a policy, contract, plan, or agreement 1
194	194	agrees to pay or reimburse for a healthcare service provided at or by a 2
195	195	hospital or related facility as defined in § 20-9-201 or § 20-10-213, the 3
196	196	healthcare provider, healthcare facility, or other the person entitled to 4
197	197	payment or reimbursement or services for any healthcare services at a 5
198	198	licensed ambulatory surgery center, outpatient surgery center, or outpatient 6
199	199	imaging facility or center under the policy, contract, plan, or agreement is 7
200	200	entitled to payment or reimbursement on an equal basis for the service when 8
201	201	the service is provided by facilities licensed as outpatient psychiatric 9
202	202	centers under §§ 20-9-214 and 20-9-215 be paid or reimbursed at a rate that 10
203	203	is no less than ninety percent (90%) of the rate paid to a hospital or 11
204	204	related facility for the same or similar healthcare service, as identified by 12
205	205	the its designated Current Procedural Terminology code in the same geographic 13
206	206	area. 14
207	207	(B) This subdivision (b)(1) shall apply notwithstanding 15
208	208	any provision of: 16
209	209	(i) An individual or group accident and health 17
210	210	insurance policy; 18
211	211	(ii) A policy, contract, plan, or agreement covering 19
212	212	hospital or medical services; 20
213	213	(iii) A network participation agreement; or 21
214	214	(iv) An agreement between an insurer and a 22
215	215	healthcare provider. 23
216	216	(2) This subsection Subdivision (b)(1) of this section applies 24
217	217	to insurance policies and hospital service corporation contracts that are 25
218	218	delivered or issued for delivery in this state more than one hundred twenty 26
219	219	(120) days after July 20, 1979, and to such other contracts, plans, or 27
220	220	agreements that are entered into or effectuated in this state more than one 28
221	221	hundred twenty (120) days after July 20, 1979 , including without limitation 29
222	222	network participation agreements or any agreements between an insurer and a 30
223	223	healthcare provider. 31
224	224	(c) The purpose of this section is to ensure that a healthcare 32
225	225	provider, a healthcare facility, or other person entitled to payment or 33
226	226	reimbursement for any healthcare service from an insurer is paid or 34
227	227	reimbursed at a rate no more than ten percent (10%) less than the amount paid 35
228	228	or reimbursed to a hospital for the same or similar healthcare service, as 36 SB626
229	229
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231	231	identified by its designated Current Procedural Terminology code, in the same 1
232	232	geographic area if the healthcare service is performed at an ambulatory 2
233	233	surgical center, outpatient surgical center, outpatient imaging center or 3
234	234	facility, or outpatient psychiatric center, subject to the following: 4
235	235	(1)(A) An insurer may consider and apply the Patient Protection 5
236	236	Act of 1995, § 23-99-201 et seq., and § 23 -99-801 et seq. when establishing a 6
237	237	rate for payment or reimbursement for a healthcare service that is provided 7
238	238	at an outpatient surgery center licensed under §§ 20 -9-214 and 20-9-215, an 8
239	239	outpatient imagining facility or center, and an outpatient psychiatric center 9
240	240	if the insurer annually certifies compliance with this section and § 23 -99-10
241	241	204 with the State Insurance Department. 11
242	242	(B) The certification required under subdivision (c)(1)(A) 12
243	243	of this section shall include the following information: 13
244	244	(i)(a) The insurer’s methodology for determining 14
245	245	payment or reimbursement rates to include the factors, mathematical 15
246	246	computations, and weights considered by the insurer in determining each 16
247	247	individual healthcare provider’s reimbursement rate. 17
248	248	(b) The factors under subdivision 18
249	249	(c)(1)(B)(i)(a) of this section shall include without limitation: 19
250	250	(1) The healthcare provider type; 20
251	251	(2) Geographic location; 21
252	252	(3) Complexity of the medical service; 22
253	253	(4) Healthcare provider’s contractual 23
254	254	agreement; 24
255	255	(5) Quality measures, such as patient 25
256	256	satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and adherence to clinical guidelines or 26
257	257	performance metrics; 27
258	258	(6) Application of utilization control 28
259	259	measures, such as prior authorization or case management, to ensure services 29
260	260	are medically necessary and cost -effective; 30
261	261	(7) Influence of service volume or case -31
262	262	load in determining the reimbursement rate; 32
263	263	(8) Reimbursement adjustments to account 33
264	264	for the risk profiles of the healthcare provider’s patient population, such 34
265	265	as adjusting for high -risk patient groups requiring more intensive care; and 35
266	266	(9) Any other factors deemed pertinent 36 SB626
267	267
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269	269	by the Insurance Commissioner; 1
270	270	(ii)(a) A schedule of reimbursement rates for each 2
271	271	healthcare provider with which the insurer maintains an agreement referenced 3
272	272	in subsections (a) and (b) of this section based on the class of healthcare 4
273	273	provider and geographic location, a copy of which shall also be provided to 5
274	274	applicant healthcare providers. 6
275	275	(b) The amount of information included on a 7
276	276	schedule of reimbursement rates under subdivision (c)(1)(B)(ii)(a) of this 8
277	277	section shall be comprehensive enough to enable the healthcare provider to 9
278	278	determine the manner in which the healthcare provider is paid and the amount 10
279	279	that a healthcare provider will be paid under the contract for the healthcare 11
280	280	provider’s services. 12
281	281	(c) The schedule of reimbursement rates or 13
282	282	other information submitted to a healthcare provider under this section shall 14
283	283	include a description of the processes and factors that may affect the actual 15
284	284	amount paid to the healthcare provider, including without limitation 16
285	285	copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, risk -sharing arrangements, and 17
286	286	liability of third parties. 18
287	287	(d) If an actual payment for the procedures 19
288	288	cannot be ascertained from the fee schedule or other information submitted to 20
289	289	a healthcare provider under this section, the insurer shall provide an 21
290	290	explanation of the methodology used to determine actual payment for 22
291	291	procedures frequently performed by the healthcare provider that involve 23
292	292	combinations of services or payment codes, such as the relative value unit 24
293	293	system and conversion factor, the percentage of Medicare payment system, or 25
294	294	percentage of billed charges. 26
295	295	(e) As applicable, the methodology disclosure 27
296	296	provided for in this section shall include the name of any relative value 28
297	297	system, the version, edition, or publication date of the relative value 29
298	298	system, and any applicable conversion to the relative value system or 30
299	299	modification to the relative value system to account for the geographic 31
300	300	location in which the healthcare provider practices; 32
301	301	(iii) An analysis of any disparity in reimbursement 33
302	302	rates among healthcare providers; and 34
303	303	(iv) If an insurer employs or utilizes a standard 35
304	304	deviation in its comparative reimbursement analysis, a detailed narrative 36 SB626
305	305
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307	307	explaining the reason for the disparity and the mathematical basis for which 1
308	308	the disparate reimbursement rates were derived. 2
309	309	(2) A healthcare provider who contracts with an insurer shall be 3
310	310	entitled to receive the information contained in subsection (c) of this 4
311	311	section relating to the healthcare provider’s agreement with the insurer if 5
312	312	the healthcare provider is required to first execute a confidentiality 6
313	313	agreement to ensure that the insurer’s confidential or proprietary 7
314	314	information remains confidential. 8
315	315	(3)(A) An insurer shall not establish a payment or reimbursement 9
316	316	rate for a healthcare service that is less than ninety percent (90%) of the 10
317	317	average reimbursement rate for the same or similar healthcare service, as 11
318	318	identified by its designated Current Procedural Terminology code, paid to 12
319	319	hospital-based outpatient departments, in the county where the ambulatory 13
320	320	surgical center, outpatient surgery center, outpatient imaging facility or 14
321	321	center, or outpatient psychiatric center is licensed. 15
322	322	(B) If a hospital or hospital -based outpatient department 16
323	323	is not located in the county where the ambulatory surgical center, outpatient 17
324	324	surgical center, outpatient imaging facility or center, or outpatient 18
325	325	psychiatric center is located, the average reimbursement rate for the 19
326	326	services provided by the ambulatory surgical center, outpatient surgical 20
327	327	center, outpatient imaging facility or center, or outpatient psychiatric 21
328	328	center is determined by the nearest county where a hospital or hospital -based 22
329	329	outpatient department operates; and 23
330	330	(3)(A) An insurer shall not attempt to reduce competition in the 24
331	331	healthcare marketplace by limiting coverage for outpatient services performed 25
332	332	by nonhospital facilities services. 26
333	333	(B) An insurer shall cover services performed at 27
334	334	ambulatory surgical centers, outpatient surgical centers, outpatient imaging 28
335	335	facilities or centers, and outpatient psychiatric centers, if those services 29
336	336	are covered under the insurer’s contracts for hospital -based outpatient 30
337	337	department payment to hospitals in this state. 31
338	338	(d)(1) This section shall not be waived by contract. 32
339	339	(2) An agreement or other arrangement that violates this 33
340	340	subchapter is void. 34
341	341	(e)(1) The Insurance Commissioner: 35
342	342	(i) Shall enforce this subchapter; and 36 SB626
343	343
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345	345	(ii) May promulgate rules to implement the requirements of 1
346	346	this subchapter as needed. 2
347	347	(2) All remedies, penalties, and authority granted to the 3
348	348	commissioner under the Trade Practices Act, § 23 -66-201 et seq., including 4
349	349	the award of restitution and damages, shall be available to the commissioner 5
350	350	for the enforcement of this subchapter. 6
351	351	(f) A violation of this section is a deceptive act, as defined by the 7
352	352	Trade Practices Act, § 23 -66-201 et seq. and § 4-88-101 et seq., except that 8
353	353	the statute of limitations for private causes of action against an insurer by 9
354	354	a healthcare provider shall be five (5) years for a violation of this 10
355	355	section. 11
356	356	12
357	357	SECTION 4. Arkansas Code Title 23, Chapter 99, Subchapter 15, is 13
358	358	amended to add an additional section to read as follows: 14
359	359	23-99-1505. Prohibition on pricing increases or reduction of fee 15
360	360	schedules. 16
361	361	(a) An insurer shall not increase cost -sharing, premiums, or other 17
362	362	fees, including without limitation per -month payments, on an enrollee, 18
363	363	employer, or any other entity that is responsible for payment of cost -19
364	364	sharing, premiums, or other fees, including without limitation per -month 20
365	365	payments, on behalf of an enrollee for healthcare services under a health 21
366	366	benefit plan or lower existing reimbursement rates for existing hospital 22
367	367	inpatient or outpatient care or to nonhospital outpatient services or 23
368	368	facilities or healthcare providers unless each of the following conditions 24
369	369	are met: 25
370	370	(1) The insurer's excess of capital over its mandatory control 26
371	371	level RBC, as defined in § 23 -63-1302, is less than sixty -five percent (65%); 27
372	372	(2) The insurer's medical loss ratio is ninety percent (90%) or 28
373	373	greater on clinical services and quality improvement; and 29
374	374	(3) The proposed increase receives the approval of the Insurance 30
375	375	Commissioner after the commissioner confirms compliance with this section and 31
376	376	§ 23-79-115. 32
377	377	(b)(1) For purposes of this section, the costs associated with 33
378	378	carrying enrollee medical debt is an administrative cost for purposes of 34
379	379	calculating the medical loss ratio. 35
380	380	(2) However, clinical services shall not include any cost -36 SB626
381	381
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383	383	sharing. 1
384	384	2
385	385	SECTION 5. DO NOT CODIFY. Severability. 3
386	386	If any provision of this act or application of this act to any person 4
387	387	or circumstances is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other 5
388	388	provisions or applications of this act which can be given effect without the 6
389	389	invalid provision of application, and to this end, the provisions of this act 7
390	390	are declared severable. 8
391	391	9
392	392	SECTION 6. DO NOT CODIFY. Retroactivity. 10
393	393	This act shall apply retroactively to a reimbursement claim and 11
394	394	contract in effect as of the effective date of this act, including any 12
395	395	pending claims, disputes, or litigation concerning the reimbursement of 13
396	396	services provided by a ambulatory surgical center, outpatient imaging 14
397	397	provider, facility or center, and outpatient psychiatric center. 15
398	398	16
399	399	SECTION 7. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 17
400	400	General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the absence of adequate 18
401	401	statutory enforcement of Arkansas Code § 23 -79-115 has resulted in arbitrary 19
402	402	and discriminatory reimbursement practices that threaten the financial 20
403	403	viability of ambulatory surgical centers and outpatient psychiatric centers; 21
404	404	that without immediate intervention by the General Assembly to pass 22
405	405	legislation to clarify enforcement, discriminatory reimbursement practices 23
406	406	will continue to restrict patient access to cost -effective healthcare 24
407	407	providers causing irreparable harm to Arkansas residents; and that this act 25
408	408	is immediately necessary because current Arkansas law does not sufficiently 26
409	409	address transparency in healthcare pricing, the absence of proper enforcement 27
410	410	of health insurer reimbursement rate laws has allowed health insurers to 28
411	411	ignore the application of Arkansas Code § 23 -79-115 that has been the law 29
412	412	since November 17, 1979, that any willing provider laws are subordinate to 30
413	413	the requirements of Arkansas Code § 23 -79-115 and proper adherence to pay -31
414	414	parity statutes ensures patient access to healthcare providers of their 32
415	415	choice, and that it is immediately necessary to protect against deceptive 33
416	416	insurance practices that harm the delivery of healthcare and reimbursement 34
417	417	for healthcare services in Arkansas. Therefore, an emergency is declared to 35
418	418	exist, and this act being immediately necessary for the preservation of the 36 SB626
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421	421	public peace, health, and safety shall become effective on: 1
422	422	(1) The date of its approval by the Governor; 2
423	423	(2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, 3
424	424	the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the 4
425	425	bill; or 5
426	426	(3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is 6
427	427	overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto. 7
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