Arkansas House Bill 1129 would require Medicaid and insurance reimbursement for behavioral health screenings and services in clinics, including telemedicine, statewide.
Proposed reimbursement requirement
According to the Arkansas General Assembly, HB1129 is a 2023 Arkansas House bill concerning reimbursement for behavioral health care. The source says the bill would require the Arkansas Medicaid Program and insurance policies to reimburse for behavioral health screenings and services. Because the source describes what the bill “would” require, it is proposed legislation rather than an enacted requirement.
Clinic-based behavioral health care
The Arkansas General Assembly identifies hospital outpatient clinics and physician clinics as the care settings covered by the proposal. Under the bill described in the source, behavioral health screenings and behavioral health services provided in those settings would be subject to the proposed reimbursement requirement. The supplied extract discusses both screenings and services, rather than referring only to one type of behavioral health visit.
Telemedicine included
According to the Arkansas General Assembly, the proposal would also include behavioral health screenings and services delivered through telemedicine. The source describes the measure as expanding behavioral health access statewide. The extract does not provide details on specific screening tools, particular behavioral health services, reimbursement amounts, or administrative procedures.
Coverage proposal remains pending in the source
The Arkansas General Assembly source names the Arkansas Medicaid Program and insurance policies in its description of the proposed requirement. It does not present the reimbursement change as current policy. The source also does not state when any requirements would take effect or describe which individual patients, insurance arrangements, or clinic services could qualify beyond the settings and care categories it identifies.
What this means for Arkansas patients
For Arkansas patients seeking treatment locally, the Arkansas General Assembly’s summary describes a proposed reimbursement change for behavioral health care in hospital outpatient clinics, physician clinics, and through telemedicine. The directory lists 32 published clinics in Arkansas, which may help people locate treatment options in the state. This is general information, not medical advice.
More Arkansas reporting on access & coverage.
This report is educational and is not medical advice. Coverage, availability and eligibility can change; verify details with the named source or your care team.