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 As Engrossed: H3/31/25 H4/9/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1332
4
5 By: Representative Pilkington
6 By: Senator J. Scott
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO
10 EVALUATE CLAIMS FOR DIAGNOSES FREQUENCY OF OBESITY-
11 RELATED CONDITIONS AND PRESENT THE COSTS; TO ALLOW
12 HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS TO OFFER OPTIONAL COVERAGE OF
13 UNITED STATES FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION-APPROVED
14 ANTI-OBESITY MEDICATION; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
15
16
17 Subtitle
18 TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM
19 TO EVALUATE CLAIMS FOR DIAGNOSES
20 FREQUENCY OF OBESITY-RELATED CONDITIONS
21 AND PRESENT THE COSTS.
22
23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
24
25 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 77, Subchapter 154, is
26 amended to add an additional section to read as follows:
27 20-77-154. Obesity-related conditions.
28 (a) The Department of Human Services shall evaluate claims level data
29 for diagnoses frequency of obesity-related conditions including without
30 limitation Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart
31 failure, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, metabolic dysfunction-
32 associates steatohepatitis, liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea,
33 osteoarthritis, and other obesity-related conditions within the Medicaid
34 population.
35 (b) The department shall document the cost of these obesity-related
36 conditions and show trend data, year over year of the rising trends of both
*JMB089* 04-09-2025 10:44:34 JMB089
As Engrossed: H3/31/25 H4/9/25 HB1332
1 the diagnoses frequency and cost to the state to present at least sixty (60)
2 days before a regular or fiscal legislative session to the:
3 (1) House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor; and
4 (2) Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor.
5
6
7 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 23, Chapter 79, Subchapter 1, is
8 amended to add an additional section to read as follows:
9 23-79-169. Optional coverage for United States Food and Drug
10 Administration-approved anti-obesity medications -- Definition.
11 (a) As used in this section, "United States Food and Drug
12 Administration-approved anti-obesity medication" means a medication approved
13 by the United States Food and Drug Administration with an indication for
14 weight management in patients with chronic obesity.
15 (b)(1) A health benefit plan that is offered, issued, or renewed in
16 this state shall allow the policyholder the option to purchase coverage for
17 United States Food and Drug Administration-approved anti-obesity medications.
18 (2) The health benefit plan may adopt standards and criteria
19 that a covered person shall meet to be eligible for United States Food and
20 Drug Administration-approved anti-obesity medications consistent with
21 standards established by rule of the State Insurance Department.
22 (c) Subsection (b) of this section does not apply to a government
23 self-insured plan.
24
25
26 /s/Pilkington
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
2 04-09-2025 10:44:34 JMB089Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.