Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1052
4
5 By: Representatives Gramlich, L. Johnson
6 By: Senator J. Boyd
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN RESPIRATORY
10 SYNCYTIAL VIRUS DISEASE IMMUNIZATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR
11 CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
12
13
14 Subtitle
15 TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN
16 RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS DISEASE
17 IMMUNIZATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR CERTAIN
18 INDIVIDUALS.
19
20 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
21
22 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 23, Chapter 79, is amended to add an
23 additional subchapter to read as follows:
24
25 Subchapter 29 -- Coverage for Monoclonal Antibodies for Immunization of
26 Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease
27
28 23-79-2901. Definitions.
29 As used in this subchapter:
30 (1)(A) "Health benefit plan" means:
31 (i) An individual, blanket, or group plan or a policy
32 or contract for healthcare services offered, issued, renewed, delivered, or
33 extended in this state by a healthcare insurer; and
34 (ii) A health benefit program receiving state or 35
35 federal appropriations from the State of Arkansas, including the Arkansas
36 Medicaid Program and the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Program, �
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1 23-61-1001 et seq., or any successor program.
2 (B) "Health benefit plan" includes:
3 (i) Indemnity and managed care plans; and
4 (ii) Nonfederal governmental plans as defined in 29
5 U.S.C. � 1002(32), as it existed on January 1, 2025.
6 (C) "Health benefit plan" does not include:
7 (i) A plan that provides only dental benefits or eye
8 8 and vision care benefits;
9 (ii) A disability income plan;
10 (iii) A credit insurance plan;
11 (iv) Insurance coverage issued as a supplement to
12 liability insurance;
13 (v) A medical payment under an automobile or
14 homeowners insurance plan;
15 (vi) A health benefit plan provided under Arkansas
16 Constitution, Article 5, � 32, the Workers' Compensation Law, � 11-9-101 et
17 17 seq., or the Public Employee Workers' Compensation Act, � 21-5-601 et
18 seq.;
19 (vii) A plan that provides only indemnity for 19
20 hospital confinement;
21 (viii) An accident-only plan;
22 (ix) A specified disease plan; or
23 (x) A long-term-care-only plan;
24 (2)(A) "Healthcare insurer" means an entity subject to the
25 insurance laws of this state or the jurisdiction of the Insurance
26 Commissioner that contracts or offers to contract to provide health insurance
27 coverage, including without limitation an insurance company, a hospital and
28 medical service corporation, a health maintenance organization, a self-
29 insured governmental or church plan in this state, or the Arkansas Medicaid
30 Program.
31 (B) "Healthcare insurer" does not include an entity that
32 provides only dental benefits or eye and vision care benefits;
33 (3) "Infant" means a child less than eight (8) months old; and
34 (4) "Respiratory syncytial virus disease" means a respiratory infection
35 of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by the respiratory syncytial virus.
36
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1 23-79-2902. Coverage for monoclonal antibodies for immunization --
2 Respiratory syncytial virus disease.
3 (a) Beginning on and after January 1, 2026, a health benefit plan that
4 is offered, issued, renewed, delivered, or extended in this state shall
5 provide coverage for monoclonal antibodies for immunization of respiratory
6 syncytial virus disease of an infant under guidelines issued by the United
7 States Food and Drug Administration.
8 (b) The coverage for monoclonal antibodies for immunization of
9 respiratory syncytial virus disease of an infant under subsection (a) of this
10 section:
11 (1) Is not subject to an annual deductible, copayment, or
12 coinsurance limit as established for other covered benefits under a health
13 benefit plan; and
14 (2) Does not diminish or limit benefits otherwise allowable under
15 a health benefit plan.
16
17 SECTION 2. TEMPORARY LANGUAGE. DO NOT CODIFY. Rules.
18 (a)(1) Except as provided in subdivisions (a)(2) and (3) of this
19 section, the Insurance Commissioner shall promulgate rules necessary to
20 implement this act.
21 (2) The Secretary of the Department of Human Services shall
22 promulgate rules necessary to implement this act that may apply to the
23 Arkansas Medicaid Program or the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me
24 Program, � 23-61-1001 et seq.
25 (3) The State Board of Finance shall promulgate rules necessary
26 to implement this act that may apply to the State and Public School Life and
27 Health Insurance Program.
28 (b) When adopting the initial rules required under this act, the
29 commissioner, secretary, and the board shall file the final rules with the
30 Secretary of State for adoption under � 25-15-204(f):
31 (1) On or before January 1, 2026; or
32 (2) If approval under � 10-3-309 has not occurred by January 1,
33 2026, as soon as practicable after approval under � 10-3-309.
34 (c) The commissioner, secretary, and board shall file the proposed
35 rules with the Legislative Council under � 10-3-309(c) sufficiently in
36 advance of January 1, 2026, so that the Legislative Council may consider the
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1 rules for approval before January 1, 2026. HB1052
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