SB187

Senate Bill 187 proposes the full repeal of the Healthcare Quality and Payment Policy Advisory Committee Act in Arkansas. The Act currently establishes a specific advisory committee tasked with reviewing and providing input on Department of Human Services (DHS) rules related to the Arkansas Healthcare Payment Improvement Initiative. This committee functions to ensure that proposed rules regarding physician services, hospital services, and long-term care quality metrics and payment models receive stakeholder consultation before adoption. If passed, this bill would dissolve the committee and remove the statutory requirement for the DHS to consult this advisory body before implementing new rules regarding episodes of care and payment policies. Consequently, the formal, mandated oversight process for these specific healthcare regulations would be eliminated.