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: H4/1/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1826
4
5 By: Representative Bentley
6 By: Senator D. Wallace
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR DELIVERY OF A NEWBORN
10 IN A LICENSED BIRTHING CENTER; AND FOR OTHER
11 PURPOSES.
12
13
14 Subtitle
15 TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR DELIVERY OF A
16 NEWBORN IN A LICENSED BIRTHING CENTER.
17
18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
19
20 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 23, Chapter 79, is amended to add an
21 additional subchapter to read as follows:
22
23 Subchapter 29 -- Coverage for Licensed Birthing Centers
24
25 23-79-2901. Definitions.
26 As used in this subchapter:
27 (1) "Enrollee" means an individual entitled to coverage of
28 healthcare services from a healthcare insurer;
29 (2)(A) "Health benefit plan" means:
30 (i) An individual, blanket, or group plan or a
31 policy or contract for healthcare services offered, issued, renewed,
32 delivered, or extended in this state by a healthcare insurer; and
33 (ii) A health benefit program receiving state or
34 federal appropriations from the State of Arkansas, including the Arkansas
35 Medicaid Program and the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Program
36 established by the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Act of 2021, � 23-
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As Engrossed: H4/1/25 HB1826
1 61-1001 et seq.
2 (B) "Health benefit plan" includes indemnity and managed
3 care plans.
4 (C) "Health benefit plan" does not include:
5 (i) A plan that provides only dental benefits or eye
6 and vision care benefits;
7 (ii) A disability income plan;
8 (iii) A credit insurance plan;
9 (iv) Insurance coverage issued as a supplement to
10 liability insurance;
11 (v) A medical payment under an automobile or
12 homeowners insurance plan;
13 (vi) A health benefit plan provided under Arkansas
14 Constitution, Article 5, � 32, the Workers' Compensation Law, � 11-9-101 et
15 seq., or the Public Employee Workers' Compensation Act, � 21-5-601 et seq.;
16 (vii) A plan that provides only indemnity for
17 hospital confinement;
18 (viii) An accident-only plan;
19 (ix) A specified disease plan;
20 (x) A long-term-care-only plan;
21 (xi) A plan providing health benefits to state and
22 public school employees under � 21-5-401 et seq.; or
23 (xii) A health benefit plan offered by a trust
24 established under �� 14-54-101 and 25-20-104 providing benefits, including
25 accident and health benefits, death benefits, dental benefits, and disability
26 income benefits;
27 (3)(A) "Healthcare insurer" means an entity subject to the
28 insurance laws of this state or the jurisdiction of the Insurance
29 Commissioner that contracts or offers to contract to provide health insurance
30 coverage, including without limitation an insurance company, a hospital and
31 medical service corporation, a health maintenance organization, a self-
32 insured governmental or church plan in this state, the Arkansas Medicaid
33 Program, and a nonprofit agricultural membership organization as defined in �
34 23-60-104.
35 (B) "Healthcare insurer" does not include an entity or
36 trust established under �� 14-54-101 and 25-20-104 that provides:
2 04-01-2025 14:22:25 ANS379
As Engrossed: H4/1/25 HB1826
1 (i) Only dental benefits or eye and vision care
2 benefits;
3 (ii) Health benefits to state and public school
4 employees under � 21-5-401 et seq; or
5 (iii) Benefits, including accident and health
6 benefits, death benefits, dental benefits, and disability income benefits;
7 and
8 (4) "Licensed birthing center" means a birthing center licensed
9 by the Department of Health that provides birthing services.
10
11 23-79-2902. Coverage for birthing services in licensed birthing
12 centers.
13 (a) On and after January 1, 2026, a health benefit plan that is
14 offered, issued, renewed, delivered, or extended in this state shall provide
15 the same coverage to an enrollee for birthing services received in a licensed
16 birthing center as provided for birthing services received in a hospital.
17 (b) The coverage for licensed birthing centers under subsection (a) of
18 this section:
19 (1) Is not subject to a greater deductible, coinsurance,
20 copayment, or out-of-pocket limits than any other benefit provided by a
21 healthcare insurer under a health benefit plan; and
22 (2) Does not diminish or limit benefits otherwise allowable
23 under a health benefit plan.
24
25 23-79-2903. Rules.
26 (a) The Insurance Commissioner may develop and promulgate rules for
27 the implementation and administration of this subchapter.
28 (b) The Secretary of the Department of Human Services may develop and
29 promulgate rules for the implementation and administration of this subchapter
30 that apply to the Arkansas Medicaid Program or the Arkansas Health and
31 Opportunity for Me Program established by the Arkansas Health and Opportunity
32 for Me Act of 2021, � 23-61-1001 et seq.
33
34 /s/Bentley
35
36
3 04-01-2025 14:22:25 ANS379Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.