Arkansas legislation · 95th General Assembly (2025 Regular)
Arkansas SB221: TO PROHIBIT RISK-BASED PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS FROM USING CERTAIN TYPES OF CONTRACTING PRACTICES WHEN CONTRACTING WITH PROVIDERS; TO AMEND THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED ORGANIZED CARE ACT; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY
Status: Failed, May 5, 2025
What the bill says
An act to be entitled an act to prohibit risk-based provider organizations from using certain types of contracting practices when contracting with providers; to amend the medicaid provider-led organized care act; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes. subtitle to prohibit risk-based provider organizations from using certain types of contracting practices when contracting with providers; to amend the medicaid provider-led organized care act; and to declare an emergency.
From the introduced text:
An Act To Be Entitled AN ACT TO PROHIBIT RISK-BASED PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS FROM USING CERTAIN TYPES OF CONTRACTING PRACTICES WHEN CONTRACTING WITH PROVIDERS; TO AMEND THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED ORGANIZED CARE ACT; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Subtitle TO PROHIBIT RISK-BASED PROVIDER ORGANIZATIONS FROM USING CERTAIN TYPES OF CONTRACTING PRACTICES WHEN CONTRACTING WITH PROVIDERS; TO AMEND THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED ORGANIZED CARE ACT; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 20, Chapter 77, Subchapter 27, is amended to add an additional section to read as follows: 20-77-2709. Prohibitions on discrimination and tying of services in contracts with risk-based provider organizations -- Legislative findings. (a) The General Assembly finds that: (1) Risk-based provider organizations, also known as providerled shared savings entities, have engaged in unfair tactics with direct service providers; (2) When a provider will not agree to below costs rates for one (1) service, the risk-based provider organization terminates the direct service provider's network status for all other services; *JMB316* 02/12/2025 4:18:10 PM JMB316 SB221 (3) This practice is often referred to as "tying" or "all or nothing" and restricts access to healthcare services by reducing the number of providers available to serve individuals with disabilities; and (4) These negotiating tactics diminish or eliminate …