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 1863
4
5 By: Representatives L. Johnson, Perry
6 By: Senator Irvin
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND THE TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT MANAGER
10 ACT; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
11
12
13 Subtitle
14 TO AMEND THE TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT
15 MANAGER ACT; AND TO DECLARE AN
16 EMERGENCY.
17
18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
19
20 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 23-99-1705 is amended to read as follows:
21 23-99-1705. Claims.
22 (a) A contracting entity shall pay a claim for ambulance services for
23 which prior authorization was received regardless of the terminology used by
24 the transportation benefit manager or health benefit plan within thirty (30)
25 days of receipt of the claim from an ambulance provider, unless:
26 (1) Authorized ambulance services were never performed; or
27 (2) There is specific information available for review by the
28 appropriate state or federal agency that the subscriber or ambulance provider
29 has engaged in material misrepresentation, fraud, or abuse regarding the
30 claim for the authorized ambulance services.
31 (b)(1) A healthcare insurer or transportation benefit manager shall
32 pay two hundred fifty percent (250%) of the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule,
33 Rural Rate for a claim for ambulance services to an ambulance provider.
34 (2) An ambulance provider shall accept the payment under
35 subdivision (b)(1) of this section as payment in full for services provided
36 to the subscriber.
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HB1863
1 (3) An ambulance provider shall not balance bill or otherwise
2 demand a payment from the subscriber other than a deductible, copayment, or
3 coinsurance required under the subscriber's health benefit plan.
4 (c) Ambulance services authorized or guaranteed for payment under this
5 section for which the prior authorization is not rescinded or reversed under
6 subsection (a) of this section are not subject to audit recoupment.
7 (d)(c) A claim submitted by an ambulance provider shall include any
8 information as required by the Insurance Commissioner.
9
10 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 23-99-1706, concerning enforcement and
11 rules of the Transportation Benefit Manager Act, is amended to add an
12 additional subsection to read as follows:
13 (d)(1) On and after July 1, 2025, the Arkansas Ambulance Association
14 shall collect the rates that are approved or contracted for between an
15 ambulance provider and a local government entity as provided for under � 14-
16 266-105.
17 (2) The information required under subdivision (d)(1) of this
18 section shall be submitted annually to the commissioner.
19
20 SECTION 3. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the
21 General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that it is necessary to resolve a
22 conflict regarding in-network and out-of-network reimbursement rates for
23 ambulance services; that the conflict is causing confusion between ambulance
24 providers, insurers, and the State Insurance Department; and that this act is
25 immediately necessary to alleviate confusion concerning reimbursement rates
26 for ambulance services. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist, and
27 this act being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public
28 peace, health, and safety shall become effective on:
29 (1) The date of its approval by the Governor;
30 (2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor,
31 the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the
32 bill; or
33 (3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is
34 overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto.
35
36
2 03/19/2025 4:34:55 PM ANS340Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.