HB1129

House Bill 1129 mandates that the Arkansas Medicaid program and private health benefit plans provide reimbursement coverage for behavioral health screenings and services conducted in hospital outpatient clinics or physician clinics. The bill defines the scope of health benefit plans subject to these requirements, while excluding certain specialized plans such as dental, vision, or workers' compensation. It specifies that these covered screenings and services must not be subject to policy deductibles or copayment requirements for most beneficiaries. Furthermore, the bill allows these services to be provided via telemedicine. The Department of Human Services is tasked with seeking any necessary federal waivers or state plan amendments to implement these provisions. Finally, the bill clarifies that existing prior authorization requirements for behavioral health services will still apply to services provided in the specified clinical settings.