HB1439

House Bill 1439 seeks to amend existing Arkansas statutes regarding the licensure and regulation of private care agencies. The primary intent of the bill is to remove the specific certification process overseen by the Department of Human Services for these agencies. It clarifies the role of the Department of Human Services in setting Medicaid provider participation requirements to ensure adequate access to 24/7 in-home personal care services. Additionally, the bill modifies definitions related to private care agencies, specifically referencing their status as providers of home- and community-based health services licensed by the Department of Health. It maintains the requirement that these agencies hold a minimum of one million dollars in liability insurance. The bill also retains mandates that these agencies must maintain a primary location within Arkansas along with sufficient regional offices to meet administrative and patient needs.