Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee- House
Video
Transcript
1 document
Bills discussed (48)
| Bill | Title | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
HB1768
Act 815
· 8 mentions in transcript, chapter
Matched: “…e whether we're going to do a Senate bill today or not. OK. House Bill 1768 committee.”
|
TO REQUIRE A SOLID WASTE LANDFILL CONTRACT RELATING TO A HOST FEE TO BE VOTED … | Lundstrum | Notification that HB1768 is now Act 815 |
|
SB100
Act 482
· 8 mentions in agenda, chapter, transcript
Matched: “…IDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. SB100 C. Penzo TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO RECO…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO RECOGNIZE A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT AS A PRIMARY CARE … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB100 is now Act 482 |
|
SB257
Act 515
· 8 mentions in chapter, transcript
Matched: “SB257 C. Penzo TO AMEND THE MEDICAID FAIRNESS ACT; TO EXTEND THE…”
|
TO AMEND THE MEDICAID FAIRNESS ACT; TO EXTEND THE APPEAL PERIOD FOR PROVIDERS IN THE … | C. Penzo | Notification that SB257 is now Act 515 |
|
HB1277
Act 706
· 6 mentions in chapter, agenda, transcript
Matched: “HB1277 Gramlich TO AMEND PAYMENTS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION REGARDING…”
|
TO AMEND PAYMENTS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION REGARDING PETROLEUM STORAGE TANKS. | J. Boyd | Notification that HB1277 is now Act 706 |
|
HB1142
Act 859
· 4 mentions in agenda, chapter, transcript
Matched: “…llen Rep. Wayne Long REGULAR AGENDA Number Sponsor Subtitle HB1142 A. Brown TO CREATE THE REPRODUCTIVE EMPOWERMENT AND SUPPORT…”
|
TO CREATE THE REPRODUCTIVE EMPOWERMENT AND SUPPORT THROUGH OPTIMAL RESTORATION (RESTORE) ACT. | A. Brown | Notification that HB1142 is now Act 859 |
|
SB460
Act 697
· 4 mentions in chapter, agenda, transcript
Matched: “SB460 Irvin TO MODIFY THE COMPLIANCE ADVISORY PANEL; TO REPEAL TH…”
|
TO MODIFY THE COMPLIANCE ADVISORY PANEL; TO REPEAL THE MARKETING RECYCLABLES PROGRAM OF THE COMPLIANCE … | Irvin | Notification that SB460 is now Act 697 |
|
HB1332
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1332 Pilkington TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO COVE…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO EVALUATE CLAIMS FOR DIAGNOSES FREQUENCY OF OBESITY-RELATED CONDITIONS … | Pilkington | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1588
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1588 McAlindon TO REQUIRE APPROVAL OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFOR…”
|
TO REQUIRE APPROVAL OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES SEEKS OR … | McAlindon | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1592
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1592 J. Mayberry TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA…”
|
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA PUBLIC HEALTH ACT. | J. Mayberry | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1653
Act 636
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION IN NOTICES OF ADVERSE DECISIONS. HB1653 Cavenaugh TO SET STANDARDS FOR LICENSING AND REGULATION OF…”
|
TO SET STANDARDS FOR LICENSING AND REGULATION OF PSYCHIATRIC RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES; AND TO DECLARE … | Cavenaugh | Notification that HB1653 is now Act 636 |
|
HB1723
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…RECOGNIZE A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT AS A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER. HB1723 Pilkington TO AMEND INITIATED ACT 1 OF 2000, ALSO KNOWN AS…”
|
TO AMEND INITIATED ACT 1 OF 2000, ALSO KNOWN AS THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT PROCEEDS ACT; … | Pilkington | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1776
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…ADMINISTER A GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS. HB1776 Lundstrum TO AMEND THE CERTIFICATE OF NEED REQUIRED TO OBTA…”
|
TO AMEND THE CERTIFICATE OF NEED REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A SOLID WASTE LANDFILL OR TRANSFER … | Lundstrum | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1791
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…estrictions designating areas as 'Members and Staff Only'. HB1791 C. Cooper TO CLARIFY THAT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND…”
|
TO CLARIFY THAT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND THE UNITED NATIONS DO NOT HAVE JURISDICTION … | C. Cooper | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1795
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1795 A. Brown TO CREATE THE FERTILITY CLINIC LICENSURE ACT.”
|
TO CREATE THE FERTILITY CLINIC LICENSURE ACT. | A. Brown | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1818
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1818 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED CARE TRANSPA…”
|
TO CREATE THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED CARE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT. | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1854
Act 643
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…RS FOR SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE DURING THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD. HB1854 Bentley TO EXEMPT A HOME CAREGIVER FROM HOME CAREGIVER TRAI…”
|
TO EXEMPT A HOME CAREGIVER FROM HOME CAREGIVER TRAINING IF HE OR SHE PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED … | Bentley | Notification that HB1854 is now Act 643 |
|
HB1856
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1856 Ennett TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE STATE BOARD OF EMBAL…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE STATE BOARD OF EMBALMERS, FUNERAL DIRECTORS, CEMETERIES, AND BURIAL … | Ennett | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1858
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1858 Ladyman TO REQUIRE A PEDIATRICIAN TO SCREEN FOR TYPE 1 DIAB…”
|
TO REQUIRE A PEDIATRICIAN TO SCREEN FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES AT THE YEARLY WELL-CHILD VISIT; … | Ladyman | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
|
HB1869
Act 868
· 2 mentions in agenda, chapter
Matched: “…AND HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS COVER TYPE 1 DIABETES SCREENINGS. HB1869 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE MATERNAL OUTCOMES MANAGEMENT SYSTE…”
|
TO CREATE THE MATERNAL OUTCOMES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; AND TO ORGANIZE … | L. Johnson | Notification that HB1869 is now Act 868 |
|
HB1880
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1880 Hudson TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HUMAN LIFE PROTECTION ACT AND…”
|
TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HUMAN LIFE PROTECTION ACT AND THE ARKANSAS UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT … | Hudson | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1882
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “HB1882 Pilkington TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF ENROLLABLE MEDICAID B…”
|
TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF ENROLLABLE MEDICAID BENEFICIARY POPULATION AND ALLOW THE GOVERNOR TO DESIGNATE … | Pilkington | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB264
Act 483
· 2 mentions in chapter, agenda
Matched: “SB264 Irvin TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS PRIMARY CARE PAYMENT IMPROV…”
|
TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS PRIMARY CARE PAYMENT IMPROVEMENT WORKING GROUP. | Irvin | Notification that SB264 is now Act 483 |
|
HB1008
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…ECLARE AN EMERGENCY. DEFERRED BILLS Number Sponsor Subtitle HB1008 A. Collins TO REQUIRE MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR POSTPARTUM MOTH…”
|
TO REQUIRE MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR POSTPARTUM MOTHERS FOR ONE YEAR AFTER GIVING BIRTH. | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1010
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…AGE FOR POSTPARTUM MOTHERS FOR ONE YEAR AFTER GIVING BIRTH. HB1010 A. Collins TO SET THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN THE ARKANSAS ME…”
|
TO SET THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES. | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1011
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES. HB1011 A. Collins TO CREATE THE RESTORE ROE ACT; AND TO RESTORE A…”
|
TO CREATE THE RESTORE ROE ACT; AND TO RESTORE A WOMAN'S ACCESS TO ABORTION SERVICES. | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1012
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…RESTORE A WOMAN'S ACCESS TO ABORTION SERVICES. Page 2 of 3 HB1012 A. Collins TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO EXTE…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO EXTEND ELIGIBILITY TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS FOR FAMILY PLANNING … | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1013
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…BILITY TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS FOR FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES. HB1013 Hudson TO PROTECT FERTILITY TREATMENT RIGHTS IN THIS STATE.…”
|
TO PROTECT FERTILITY TREATMENT RIGHTS IN THIS STATE. | Hudson | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1029
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…Hudson TO PROTECT FERTILITY TREATMENT RIGHTS IN THIS STATE. HB1029 D. Garner TO SET THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN THE ARKANSAS MED…”
|
TO SET THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND … | D. Garner | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1032
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…R MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SERVICES RELATED TO ADDICTION. HB1032 A. Collins TO BAN CONVERSION THERAPY. HB1132 Pilkington TO…”
|
TO BAN CONVERSION THERAPY. | A. Collins | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1132
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…TO ADDICTION. HB1032 A. Collins TO BAN CONVERSION THERAPY. HB1132 Pilkington TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE SERVICES PROVID…”
|
TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE SERVICES PROVIDED BY ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES; AND TO AMEND … | Pilkington | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1164
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1164 J. Mayberry TO ALLOW A PHYSICIAN OR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER TO…”
|
TO ALLOW A PHYSICIAN OR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER TO OFFER COGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS FOR CERTAIN PATIENTS; AND … | J. Mayberry | Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1224
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…RIPTIVE AUTHORITY OF AN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE. HB1224 Nazarenko TO AMEND THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE FOR…”
|
TO AMEND THE AUTOMATIC OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE FOR OUT-OF-STATE LICENSURE ACT; AND TO APPLY THE AUTOMATIC … | Nazarenko | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1244
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…NSURE FOR OUT-OF-STATE LICENSURE ACT TO MASSAGE THERAPISTS. HB1244 K. Brown TO AMEND THE REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE…”
|
TO AMEND THE REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF FULL INDEPENDENT PRACTICE AUTHORITY BY A … | K. Brown | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1270
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…CERTIFIED NURSE PRACTITIONER OR CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST. HB1270 Pilkington TO ESTABLISH LICENSURE FOR PRESCRIBED PEDIATRIC…”
|
TO ESTABLISH A PRESCRIBED PEDIATRIC EXTENDED CARE PILOT PROGRAM THROUGH A SECTION 1115 MEDICAID DEMONSTRATION … | Pilkington | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1302
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…AM TO REIMBURSE PRESCRIBED PEDIATRIC EXTENDED CARE CENTERS. HB1302 L. Johnson TO ADD DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY TO THE UNIVER…”
|
TO ADD DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY TO THE UNIVERSAL NEWBORN SCREENING ACT. | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1506
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “AGENDA (Revised 4/1/25 @ 7:50 AM) Removed HB1506 and HB1554 House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and L…”
|
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES; AND TO PROHIBIT A PUBLIC EMPLOYER … | Andrews | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1532
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…G UTILIZATION REVIEW BOARD TO INCLUDE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS. HB1532 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS RARE DISEASE ADVISORY COU…”
|
TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS RARE DISEASE ADVISORY COUNCIL. | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1554
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “AGENDA (Revised 4/1/25 @ 7:50 AM) Removed HB1506 and HB1554 House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Tuesda…”
|
TO CREATE THE ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY REPORTING ACT. | A. Brown | Recommended for study in the Interim by the … |
|
HB1566
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…hnson TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS RARE DISEASE ADVISORY COUNCIL. HB1566 McClure TO REQUIRE ADOPTION OF A STATEWIDE PRACTICAL NURSIN…”
|
TO REQUIRE ADOPTION OF A STATEWIDE PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM CORE CURRICULUM TO INCREASE CONSISTENCY IN … | McClure | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1718
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…LUM TO INCREASE CONSISTENCY IN PRACTICAL NURSING EDUCATION. HB1718 Gramlich TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR SURGICAL SMOKE EVACUATI…”
|
TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR SURGICAL SMOKE EVACUATION IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES LICENSED IN THIS STATE. | Gramlich | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1731
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…EVACUATION IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES LICENSED IN THIS STATE. HB1731 Vaught TO STRENGTHEN CHILD LABOR LAWS THROUGH THE REINSTATE…”
|
TO STRENGTHEN CHILD LABOR LAWS THROUGH THE REINSTATEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATES. | Vaught | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1762
Act 1009
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…LAWS THROUGH THE REINSTATEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATES. HB1762 Hall TO REQUIRE REVOCATION OF A PERMIT FOR THE DISPOSAL OF…”
|
TO REQUIRE REVOCATION OF A PERMIT FOR THE DISPOSAL OF INDUSTRIAL WASTE IN AN AGRICULTURAL … | Hall | Notification that HB1762 is now Act 1009 |
|
HB1781
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…OR PASTORAL APPLICATION FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS. HB1781 Crawford TO AUTHORIZE THE LICENSURE OF CLINICS, HEALTH CENT…”
|
TO AUTHORIZE THE LICENSURE OF CLINICS, HEALTH CENTERS, OR OTHER FACILITIES IN WHICH A PREGNANCY … | Crawford | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
HB1816
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1816 L. Johnson TO PROHIBIT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND HEALTHCARE…”
|
TO PROHIBIT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND HEALTHCARE INSURERS FROM USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE DELIVERY OF … | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1819
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1819 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE THE STATE REGISTRAR OF VITAL RECORDS…”
|
TO REQUIRE THE STATE REGISTRAR OF VITAL RECORDS TO COORDINATE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS … | L. Johnson | WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR |
|
HB1888
· 1 mention in chapter
Matched: “HB1888 Steele TO AMEND THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE SERVICES LAW; AND…”
|
TO AMEND THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE SERVICES LAW; AND TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT RECORDS … | Steele | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB168
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…PSYCHOLOGICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST MATERIALS OR TEST DATA. SB168 Rice TO ESTABLISH A STATE EXAMINATION FOR LICENSURE OF MASS…”
|
TO ESTABLISH A STATE EXAMINATION FOR LICENSURE OF MASSAGE THERAPISTS. | Rice | Died on House Calendar at Sine Die adjournment. |
|
SB187
· 1 mention in agenda
Matched: “…CENSURE OF MASSAGE THERAPISTS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. SB187 Irvin TO AMEND THE COMPOSITION OF THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID DRU…”
|
TO AMEND THE COMPOSITION OF THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID DRUG UTILIZATION REVIEW BOARD TO INCLUDE PHYSICIAN … | Irvin | Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment. |
Machine transcript
May contain errors. Verify important quotations against the official video.
About transcript accuracy
- Source
- SliQ live captions
- Model
- SliQ live ASR
- Processing date
- October 2, 2026
Go ahead and get started. We're gonna take a couple of bills out of order to uh be courtesy to fellow chairman, our chair ladies, uh. Representative Kavanaugh, Chairman Kavanaugh, you're recognized to present your bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and if it's with
Representative Frances Cavenaugh
Unverified
0:25
your permission, I'm gonna ask DHS to come up in case there's questions more technical than what I can explain.
You wouldn't have your guests introduce
Representative Frances Cavenaugh
Unverified
0:38
herself for the record. I'm Fran Kavanaugh, state
Speaker 8
0:43
representative District 30. Hi, good morning. I'm Melissa Weatherton. I'm the director for Medicaid Specialty
Representative Frances Cavenaugh
Unverified
0:51
Populations at DHS. Thank you members. Um, Bill 1653 is a new licensing and quality of care oversight of psychiatric residential treatment facilities. Um, it's moving who does a lozenges and some quality
of care, oversight to the Department of DHS and there's a lot of specifics in it and That's just a quick overview and I'm just going to open it up to questions because there are quite a bit of information in the bill. Any questions? So no questions from committee. It, it, yeah, I knew that. Is anyone in the audience speak for or against the bill?
Seeing no one, I have a motion on the bill. Are you closed for
Representative Frances Cavenaugh
Unverified
1:43
your bill? I'm closed for my bill. I appreciate y'all hearing this. This is a very important bill that will help our kids in the state of Arkansas, and I would appreciate a good vote.
Representative Bentley, I have a motion to pass. Any discussion on motion, seeing none, all those in favor, say ah. I opposed. I have it. Congratulations. Thank you, members. Representative Brown.
So Representative Brown, this is new for you to be at the table for the
2nd time for the same bill. So let's don't plow any new ground, but you are recognized to present your bill, House Bill 1142, I believe. OK,
Speaker 19
2:27
yes, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Representative Elissa Brown,
Speaker 21
2:29
District 41, um, committee. I went back and watched our last meeting when I was in here, and I sat at the end of the table for 42 minutes, so I hoped not to do that this time, uh, but the Restore Act, um, I won't go into all the detail I did last time and I appreciate all the
questions and the debate that we had the Restore Act aims to help women give women the option for restorative, reproductive health coverage in the state of Arkansas, a couple of quick statistics just to answer some questions. According to a recent Cleveland survey, 1 in 5 women in the United States suffer from infertility, according to the National Library of Medicine, 1 in 9 women of reproductive age have endometriosis in the US. According to the NIH, it's
estimated that 10% of women of reproductive age in the United States have PCOS. Everyone knows a woman sitting here on this committee, you know a woman who struggles with PCOS, endometriosis, or some of these underlying health conditions, all the Restore Act does is offer coverage for the restorative reproductive medicine for our doctors. This doesn't take away from IVF, uh, this doesn't add um any restrictions to. This just gives another option
for women. Doctors already have been um recommending this type of coverage, but we haven't mandated the coverage for it. So with that, I will answer any questions if anyone has any. Any questions for committee? See none, anyone in the
audience speak for or against the bill? Seeing no, I take it your clothes for your bill. I'm clothes for my bill. I appreciate you have a motion to pass. Any discussion on a motion. Seeing on all those in favor, say ah. I posed.
Is have a congratulations to your bill. Thank you. Thank you, chair. So I saw Representative Lunstrom in the room. You ready? Go ahead. What bill number? And In 257. OK, let's start with the House bill, and then we'll negotiate whether we're going to do a Senate bill today or not. OK. House Bill 1768 committee.
So we're gonna let you run Senate Bill 257, but your House bill is not on the agenda yet. OK. the Thank you.
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
5:47
Um What time was it? And I can go back to the end of
the line, Chairman, if that need be. Go ahead and present your
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
5:53
Senator Bill 257. All right, thank you. I do have one expert in the audience, um, should you have any questions, technical
questions, he can come up and answer. Robin Lundstrom. Um,
District 18 and I'm presenting Senate Bill 257 with the permission of the chair. OK, um,
Senate Bill 257 it's a pretty straightforward bill right now Medicaid, if there is an adverse decision determination, you have 35 days to appeal.
That is simply too short. We're lucky to get our mail sometimes in Elm Springs within 5 to 10 days, so this imposes an unreasonable administrative burden not only on the provider but also on DHS contractors. The bill simply changes it from 35 to 65. Right now, the industry standard is 90, this still is below industry standard. This also requires DHS and its contractors to maintain and publish historic copies of all binding requirements imposed by providers, bringing them in also.
Bringing the process into conformance. The biggest guts of this bill is the 35 to 65. And with that I'll entertain any questions. Any questions on the bill from the committee? Seeing on
anyone in the audience speak for or against the bill. See a none. Are you closed for your bill? Yes, sir. I have a motion on the bill.
I have a motion to do pass Representative Bentley, all those in your discussion. All those in favor, say ah. All opposed. I have congratulations bill passed. Thank you, colleagues.
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
7:47
Thank you for your time. Representative Pilkington, do you have a motion for me? Yes, Chairman, I make a motion that we put House Bill 1768 on the committee for on the agenda
for consideration. So committee just for informational purposes, this would take a 2/3 vote. This is a bill that was re-referred to committee yesterday on the
floor, um, somehow mistakenly got left off the agenda, so it's not like it's unheard bill and it's already been here before, so. All those in favor say ah all opposed unanimous vote meets the 2/3 threshold, so you're recognized a represent
House Bill 1768. Thank you, Chairman and thank
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
8:22
you, colleagues, for your indulgence. I did withdraw this bill, yes sir. Yes, it does. Thank you, sir.
Members, we have a sort of a celebrity with us today while we're waiting on this amendment to be passed out when miss Tamara Baker stand up for us? So she's with us today from the Alliance of school-based Health centers. Uh, I just want to make sure you guys know she's here if you need to get with her today, she's in the room. Thank you for coming today. I've got it.
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
9:47
Representative, you can present your amendment. Thank you, sir. House Bill 70608 did already pass this committee, and I appreciate that. Unfortunately, we found a couple of mistakes and I want to thank the Association of Counties for helping me make a couple of corrections. Most of them are just verbal differences. The one that that I think is most important are actually too is on line 35 from agreement a contract, the host fee may be renewed for an additional 2 years, 4 years, I think that helps improve the bill, and I want thank them for their assistance.
And I would appreciate a good vote. It's pretty straightforward. Thank you.
It was a pleasure committee on amendment. I have a motion to pass Representative Ferguson. All those in favor say aye. All opposed, I have it, you're to present your bill as amended. Folks, you just heard the bill,
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
10:35
that is the bill as amended, and I would appreciate a good vote. Thank you for your time. Any questions on the bill?
Anyone in the audience speak for or against the bill? It's a pleasure committee. I got
a motion do pass as amended, correct? Representative Rose, any discussion on the moment on the motion. All those in favor say ah I post. I have it. Congratulations be always pass. Thank
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
11:05
you, Chairman and thank you, colleagues for your
indulgence. Thank you. Represent Gramli. Do you want to run your storage tank, Bill? It's a House Bill 1277
Unknown speaker
11:22
committee. Uh, Zach Gramlich stars in the
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
11:53
District 50 Fort Smith. OK. Uh,
today I'm going to be presenting House Bill 1277. Um, this is to rectify some issues we've had with under underground petroleum storage facil tanks, essentially gas stations, convenience stores, uh, what's happening is currently there's a $7500 deductible, um, that has, that needs to be reported, excuse me, $7500 deductible um for if there is a leaking
storage tank, um, that has to be reported in 24 hours. If it's not reported, then the full uh onus of the The issue is on the convenience store owner and so there's a lot of individuals who are choosing not to report, um, and either they leave the tank leaking or they just leave the convenience store entirely and then we have orphan tanks. Uh, what this does is it allows the um pollution and Charliecology commission to set deductibles that tank owners must pay in order to receive payments for corrective action from petroleum storage tank Trust fund. The deductible is not to exceed $30,000 per
occurrence, and this bill is in collaboration by the Arkansas Oil Marketers Association and ADE. you. Essentially, we're just trying to um ensure that we don't have ecological disasters of leaking petroleum tanks that we have to get cleaned up with that, I'll answer any questions. Any questions from the committee? He want, or anyone in the audience speak for
or against the bill? I take it your clothes for your bill. I'm closed and I motion to pass. That proper motion. A discussion on motion.
See none all those in favor. Say ah. I opposed. I have it. Congratulations, your bills
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
13:32
passed. Chairman, I have other bills to run if go for it, OK. I'll go ahead and run um SB Senate bill, uh, for 60, um, there was an amendment for it to make me the uh house sponsor. If you would give us a second, we'll get
the amendment passed out. OK. Thank you so much. OK.
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
14:59
Thank you. So the amendment is to make me the house sponsor. And with that I'll answer any questions. It's a pleasure
committee. Of a motion do pass on the amendment. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed. No. Amendment passes, you're recognized to present your bill as amended. Thank you, Chairman. Are you sure Senator Irvin's OK
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
15:29
with that sort of amendment? I mean, she has been on the last two, so unless we're slipping this in
without her knowledge. I think she's acceptable. SP 460, um, what this does is it it amends the compliance advisories panel, small business, stationary source, technical, and environmental compliance assistance program marketing recyclables program cap. Uh, this change is the changes reduced the CAP to reflect the requirements of the Federal Clean Air Act to the current panel of 9 members to an advise your panel of 7 members in line with the requirements of
the Clean Air Act. It discontinues a grant fund for marketing and recyclables that is difficult to administer and generate interest in. Also, it redirects current funding to the CAP support of small business compliance with federal and state environmental laws and rules, and with that I'll answer any questions. Any questions from the committee?
Representative Richardson, you recognize. Hold on one second. Go ahead. You recognize.
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
16:31
Hey, Representative Graham, good morning. You said, I heard you say that it, it was removing funding
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
16:41
in placing it somewhere else. Uh, yeah, it says environmental law. You're going to repeat that on the mic, please, sir. I am
so sorry. I'm gonna make sure you say word for
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
16:54
word. It is word for word. um, so yeah, discontinue discontinues a grant fund for marketing and
recyclables that it's difficult to administer and generate interest in, and it redirects current funding of the compliance assistance program to support a small business compliance with federal and state environmental laws and
rules. So marketing and grant fund, that's the line item or where is that coming from? Do you know? That's a great question. I can bring to the table if you'd like that answer. If you would introduce yourself for the record and you recognize the
answer representative's question. Sure, Lauren Ballard. I'm chief of staff with the Arkansas Department of Energy
Speaker 86
17:33
and Environment. So I'll try and answer your question. I might give a little history, might be helpful to kind of understand what we're doing. So previously we had to um boards. We had a marketing and recyclables board that gave out some grants and we had this compliance advisory panel that's required by federal law under Title VI. A couple of years ago, we tried to combine those. We couldn't make those work really well on their own, so we tried combining them, um. was proven to be unsuccessful. What we ended up doing is taking that board for marketing recyclables and expanding the CIP board from 7 to 9. What this
bill is going to do is take off those two members, put it back into compliance just with the federal law requires. So the uh currently there is a, there's a small amount of money that's coming in. I think the appropriation line is about $28,000 a year that goes is, is how much
Speaker 85
18:19
we can spend in grants, uh, that is put into a fund. We, we take proposals on marketing and recyclables and We grant, we will grant those funds if we have projects that come up that we are um that that board decides to to grant those
monies for, uh, so what this would do is just redirect that back to the compliance advisory panel, and so it kind of does similar purpose, yeah. Yu
Any other questions from the committee? Representative Hindley, you recognize. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um,
Representative Dolly Henley
Unverified
18:56
ma'am, will this be, will this put any
of the small businesses out of, out of business that's been doing this and, and can you tell me
what the recyclables are. Actually, I think it's going to
Speaker 86
19:08
help small business. So the um compliance advisory panel is supposed to exist to help small businesses comply with really complicated federal regulations, so the idea is they actually have membership. Small businesses have membership on that compliance advisory panel and and sort of can have input on the things they want to get direction on. So this is going to put that that money, that funding, that 28,000 back towards that purpose. Um, those grants, I think they've been used for a wide variety of things. I'll tell you in the
last few years, I don't think a lot of grants have been given out because we can't generate a lot of interest in it. We actually have difficulty getting a quorum on that 9 person panel to show up to meetings and the quarterly, not a lot of interest, so we're trying to try something new, uh, pare down what we're doing just to fit within federal law and help those small businesses. Ribs ribs and Haley, you're done. Representative Richardson, you
Chair
Unverified
19:59
recognize him. Thank you. So you just mentioned you said. Those funds were not being
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
20:06
accessed. They were available. People weren't coming to get him or asking for them. Did I hear you correctly? That's correct. I mean, we
Speaker 86
20:13
did give out some grants, but we had difficulty finding interest in those grants, yes, I'll, I'll just get you off to this and
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
20:18
ask more information. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Any further questions from committee? See not anyone in the audience speak
for or against the bill? and nonrepresentative, are you closed for your bill?
I'm closed for my bill, and I would, and I
Speaker 65
20:36
motioned to pass as amended. That's proper motion
and discussion on motion, seeing none of all his favor, say ah. I. I post There's
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
20:48
just no excitement for you. I'm gonna roll
it past. Congratulations. Thank you very much. I've
Speaker 65
20:57
got one more if I'd go for it, um, with the
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
21:00
same amount of excitement as the previous, I'm gonna run SB 100.
Um, SB 100, 0, I recognized, OK, thank you, sir. uh SV 100 would allow physician assistants to serve as primary care providers under Medicaid, APRNs already have this. There's no known outside opposition. Um, I have a letter with over 50 Arkansas physicians supporting it. PAs will work alongside supervising physician and SB 100 reaffirms this critical relationship by allowing PAs to be formally recognized as PCPs. This streamlines care and eliminates unnecessary delays. that can arise when patients must wait for a physician's signature on time sensitive
orders and referrals. Billing does not go to the PAs. It goes to the practice. The SB 100 does not change a PA's scope of practice and all PAs will still practice under the supervision of a physician. All patients under the care of a PA have a physician-led care team with that, I'll answer any questions. Representative Richton, you recognize.
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
22:17
So Representative Gramley, we're, we're giving physician assistants more room to grow, I'm guessing.
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
22:24
From my understanding, yes, but from my understanding when I was explaining
this, this says more with billing than it does actually anything else. They still work under a physician. They still work under a physician's care and supervision, um. I could bring someone to the table to answer some more questions, more specifically than that. But
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
22:42
they get, I mean, but it gives them the ability to be to
file and file for reimbursement as the MD would,
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
22:52
correct? Well, sure, but like, like I said, that money goes to the practice. It does not go to the PA, so it's more of a billing issue than anything else. Can we bring You I may have a more
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
23:04
specific question for the PA you want. Thank you. Yeah That's one. Yeah, that's what, that's
Speaker 102
23:23
So, I, I'm sorry, Erin, would all, the president of the
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
23:29
Arkansas Academy of PAs. So the physician reimbursement.
Speaker 102
23:37
I So actually, most billing um is completed like in an office setting is completed through ENM services, and this bill doesn't actually affect that, um, so in 2023, uh, Act 300 was signed, and that allowed PAs to um be rendering and billing providers through Medicaid. So this bill
is really more of a workflow and administrative issue, um, and so the example that we use a lot um when patients have to with Medicaid, have to have an assigned PCP, um, and that PCP. To sign off on orders and referrals and things like that. Um, and so if I'm seeing a patient, I still have my supervising physician who is overseeing that care is leading the team, and it's still oversight over giving oversight of all the patients that I see, but if I'm seeing a patient and they need an urgent referral, the PCP has to sign off. If my SP is out for the day, we have
to wait for them to be back to sign off on that referral, but the patient needs care now and so again, it's really just that administrative workflow, um, like you said, we have a letter with actually over 7. the physician signatures now, uh, we, we know that physicians support this. We don't have any opposition from the medical society as well. We've worked
Speaker 105
24:41
with them on an amendment. Is Janet man still in the room with DHS? Can
you come to the table, Miss Button? Elizabeth You tell me what the reimbursement rate is.
Percentage wise to the physician today for PAS for
Speaker 107
25:05
physician's assistants when the, when we're able to put that role he's talking about into place, CMS had held it, so we're still
Speaker 109
25:10
working with them on that. It will be 80% of a physician's right, the same as an APRN. So
if I'm reading this bill correctly, if you look at page 2, line 1, it increases that to 100%, making them a PA uh PCP. Am I reading that correctly? So it's an increase of 20% to their reimbursement regardless
of whether it goes to the clinic
Speaker 109
25:35
or to them or whoever. So when we read this, we did not think it was an increase. That is for the lab costs and additional tests which are paid at a different rate, the actual physician services, um, are the actual services in paragraph B1 are reimbursed at the current rate, which would be that 80%. how
we reimbursing the labs and the x-rays today at 100% or at 80%. I believe my utilization
Speaker 109
25:58
manager said 100%, but I will definitely go text her and
confirm that. Thank you. Any further questions from the committee? See no, uh,
representing Gramlet. Is there any other witnesses that you have? Not to my knowledge. Anyone else in the room speak for or against the
Speaker 65
26:25
bill? You close for your bill. I'm close to my bill, and I motion the bill to pass.
That's a proper motion. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed? No. Your bill passes. Congratulations. Thank
Speaker 65
26:39
you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, committee. Thank you for a little bit more energy
Speaker 48
26:44
on that last bill. I don't know how you did it. Representative Pilkington, do you have a couple
of bills? you would tell us which ones you're gonna run before you start.
1332. Members of this bill has a physical impact. So if you would give a few minutes to get that passed out.
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
28:10
Can I get a copy of that this back. I want to make
sure it's also the most current one. Thank you. Represent Pilton, you recognized to present your bill. This
bill does not have an amendment, correct? Correct. This is not the one
with the amendment. Yes, sir. Uh thank you, Chair. Thank you
committee. Uh today I present to you House Bill 1332, which is an act to acquire the Arkansas Medicaid program to cover GPL ones. It's a pretty simple short bill. Uh, no later than the date of issuance of a final federal rule resulting from the proposed federal rule published as Medicare and Medicaid, uh, programs contract year 2026 policy. technical changes to the Medicaid Advantage program,
Medicaid Prescription drug benefit program, Medicaid costs program, yada yada. Basically, if we're recognizing that from a federal rule that you can use GPL ones for weight loss than we would expect the state to follow suit and issue a similar rule for GPL ones for weight loss. Uh, we took out anything uh relating to EBD, which is why on this EBD fiscal impact, it says no impact. Um, but essentially, uh, you know, states like Mississippi have found that this is a way to lower their overall costs long
term with how much they spend on Medi Medicaid with related to weight loss issues and so obviously as Ozempic and other uh weight loss medications that are used to treat diabetes, now using them to treat weight loss is a way to um spend a little money on the front end but get a
Representative Ryan A. Rose
Unverified
30:04
lot of savings on the back end and so essentially that's what the bill is. I don't know if there's anyone here to speak for it or not, um, but that's it. Short and sweet. DHS Ribs and rows you recognize.
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
30:13
Representative Pilkington, you said something in the beginning and I missed the first thing you said. It almost sounded like if the federal government did something, then we can do something.
Speaker 129
30:24
Could you reiterate that just so I had that. Yes, uh, basically when the federal rule comes down that you can use
these to treat, um, When it's approved from the government, so we kick in after they kick
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
30:43
in. OK, that's what I want. Thank you. That Any
Speaker 136
30:49
other questions, Representative Bentley, you have one? Do you recognize? Can
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
30:52
we have DHS come to the table? Absolutely. I love it when DHS comes to the table. And they love it when I'm at the table. Morning again, Elizabeth Pittman, DHS. Thank you for being here this morning. I mean, we're all acutely aware of Medicaid costs at this point. I'm very hesitant to add any more costs to Medicaid that are not covered, especially with the And certainly going on on the federal level right
this now. So is this anything that we have um set aside money for or do you
Speaker 109
31:13
have any concerns on this side? I really appreciate your thoughts on this at this point. So, you have our fiscal impact statement. We don't have any set aside money for any increases outside of the maternal health bill, so no, there's no set aside funds, um, that fiscal does not include rebates that we would get back, but it is fairly significant. We do not cover weight loss drugs as a class of medication at this time, so that would be an expansion of coverage for us. OK, thank you, Chairman.
Thank you, um, Representative Pilkington, and I may have missed this in your statement.
If I did, I'm sorry. It's a lot going on up here. Looking at the, I mean, I guess it's the um Arkansas Department of Human Services impact. They're claiming a state chair would be 7.6 to 19.1 million. Do you think that's accurate or what do you think the impact should be? Um, I mean,
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
32:05
I, I don't see the internal numbers for how they get that, um, but when I look at how much money we spend on
obesity-related illnesses and chronic illnesses like heart conditions and things like that. You can make the case, uh, like the state of Mississippi did that ultimately you create long-term savings, um, and because I can't remember what the projection was in Mississippi when they went and bought a stockpile of GPL ones to deal with their Medicaid issue, how much they had saved. I don't have that number in front of me, but I know that it was significant and that's why they went ahead and made that move. So They could be. Those numbers could be accurate.
I told you there's a lot going on up here, um.
What did, what did, what, what happened in the state of Mississippi with the determination. Did they actually save any money or did it cost them more money
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
32:58
when they enacted this? Well, it's currently still going on, so I don't know what their latest number was that the rejection was they would save
money, but uh obviously not enough time has gone past for them to adequately figure out whether or not they've saved or not, but I don't know. I was gonna representative Pittman, but that's a promotion,
Speaker 109
33:13
no, I am not familiar with the the work in Mississippi. Happy
to look into that. I will tell you the numbers we provided are based solely on what we would have to expend on the drug. They don't account for any return on investment, and I understand that and I.
But it is a large number. It is a large number, yes, they
Representative Dolly Henley
Unverified
33:36
are expensive. Representative Henley, you recognize him. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um I know a lot of individuals who have used this drug and been very, very
successful. My concern is in the Medicaid program, and, and I'm just
unfamiliar, so when the pot of money runs low, who's gonna decide who we're going to take care of, who's going to get treatment, and who won't get treatment. Is that a fair question? It is a fair question,
Speaker 109
34:01
and when we ask ourselves a lot, um, I don't, I think that would be all of us, you guys, uh, the Medicaid program, the federal government, I think we would all have to make those decisions together. I don't think it's something we could make in a vacuum, but it's it's definitely a fair question and something that we would have to consider if the funds run low.
Representative Dolly Henley
Unverified
34:22
Follow up. Will there be a rule, uh, uh, with the patients. Uh, taking the drug. Would there be a rule that they will have to have, have done other programs for uh to to get weight off their bodies? Will there be a procedure that some accountability before we just jump into this and, and, um, strap the Medicaid program. Sorry, I receiving a text, um,
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
34:53
could you restate the question, Representative? Uh,
Representative Dolly Henley
Unverified
34:56
our question is, Would there be a procedure for the patients to have to go through some process of trying to get, trying to lose weight before we just jump right into the Medicaid program paying for this expensive shot. Sure, um,
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
35:11
You know, I I would assume there would be, I mean, we oftentimes, uh, before a doctor will prescribe certain medications like this will have you, um,
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
36:01
through dieting, exercise, other means, um, obviously when we talk about obesity, we talk about very large individuals who have hundreds of pounds of weight on them, uh. The stress that that puts on their heart, on their lungs, on their other organs is pretty great. And when you're at a certain advanced age too, it's also harder to get that weight off. So there are gonna be some, some probably examples where diet and exercise while they may try it after 6 months they're going to say we probably need to get you on this because you're not losing the weight. The, the, uh, weight fast enough, but that's something we can easily
do and um, you know, like I said, this is when the federal rule comes down, we can always come back in and make those adjustments to how we want to do it, um, which I would, I would expect we would. I mean, the last thing we want to do is just give a shot. Obviously, healthy lifestyles are important in maintaining your health and so, um, and I think right now already, uh, when we're using these, uh,
especially too before you become diabetic, we're oftentimes, you know, doctors are advocating for uh exercise and things like that and and diet because we don't want you to become diabetic because now we are going to have to pay for drugs because we're already paying for these drugs for diabetes treatments and so, uh, yeah, that's the better way to do it and the hope is with this as well we would have them.
that first before just immediately going and just taking the shot, so, so I, uh, I've got someone here who can speak to the Mississippi Medicaid study, by the way, if you would allow me the uh the committee are we done with questions? We are done with questions, so if you want to bring that person up, you're welcome to. I didn't know it was that person though. I
Speaker 161
37:05
Austin Grinder with Mole and Associates, um, I brought the study to represent Pilkington's attention, so I just kind of wanted to briefly talk about what it says, um, it was a study done by the University of Mississippi, uh, in conjunction with Miss Medicaid, and it found that after the first year, drugging costs did increase by $61 per beneficiary that was studied in the program, but medical costs decreased by $59 per beneficiary, so only a slight increase, and that's only after one year, um, you would think that as time goes on,
Um, you know, and that weight stays off, that the medical costs would continue to decrease and the pharmacy costs are going to stay consistent, if not go down as, you know, generics are developed and. Other options become available. Any questions for
the witness, Representative Perry. I saw
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
37:58
you fidgeting. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. How long, Austin, how long has the study Mississippi been going on.
Speaker 162
38:06
So that program started, I think, 1.5, 2 years ago, and they just released a study,
Speaker 161
38:11
um, earlier this year. OK, all right, thank you.
Any other questions from the committee? Seeing no. Are there anyone else in the audience speak for or against the bill? Representative, are you closed for
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
38:31
you, Bill? Yes, I am. Great discussion committee. Appreciate everyone. Um, everyone's comments. Just
want to reiterate online 27 you see no later than the date of the issuance of a final federal rule resulting from the proposed federal rule. So just so we know this isn't Arkansas going on around. We're also expecting there to be a federal rule that we're simply following behind that would allow us to use these medications, so, um. So it's not just an instantaneous, we're going to start spending this money on this, but I do think as we get more innovative, I mean, I could, I could understand that, you know, maybe this doesn't get all the way through, but I think we're going to see in the future we're gonna be spending money on
GPL ones to manage, uh, our weight issues here in other in other states that have quite large weight issues. So with that, I make a motion to pass. That's proper motion. Any discussion on the
motion. Uh, Representative Bentley, you recognize. Thank you, Chairman. Thank you, Representative Pilken. I appreciate
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
39:35
you always looking outside the box to move things forward. I'm just very hesitant at this point with the um
insecurity things that are going on in DC, and I appreciate, I really appreciate you bringing this to us at this point. I'm just hesitant to do anything that would increase
our costs on Medicaid, but thank you so much. I will, I'll be a no, but I will have to look at it in between time. Any further discussion from the committee. Seeing
on all those in favor. Say ah. All opposed. Ms. Davis, if you would call the roll.
Speaker 174
40:20
Representative Henley, Representative Henley, yes. Representative Barnes. Representative Barnes, yes. Representative Graham. Representative Gramley. Representative Rose, representative roles, yes, it was enough more. Representative more
Representative Schultz, Representative Schultz, no. Representative Long, Representative Long, no. Rosenev in it in it, yes. Representative Richardson. Representative Richardson, yes. Representative Cooper. Representative Cooper.
Representative Johnson. Representative Johnson. Representative Perry, representative Perry, yes. Representative Pilkington. Represent our Pilkington years. Representative Allen. Representative Allen Representative Ferguson.
Representative Ferguson, Representative Bentley, who was in representative Bentley, no. Representative lady man. Representative lady man. Representative McGee. A
Speaker 176
42:15
representative McGee. Represent a Warri. Representative Wooldrich, no.
Oh. For the record, I voted yes, uh. The bill got 8 votes, so therefore it did not meet the threshold of 11, so it
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
42:44
fell. You got another bill? Yes, sir. I've got House Bill 1882 and there's an amendment on that
as well. All right, if you'll wait just a few minutes, we'll pass them in and
out and then you present them in. Sure.
Unknown speaker
43:01
House Bill 1882. Yes, sir. Sorry Do you want do you want to come up and explain the amendment? You want to come explain me? Oh Uh, they're, they'll, they'll pass out. it. What was that? Read it, but OK.
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
44:03
Davis, can I have a copy? Representative
you recognize to present your amendment. Thank you. This is an amendment, uh, I, we, we drafted in partnership with DHS and so I just wanted to have DHS come and explain the
Speaker 109
44:26
amendment that they worked with me on to. Yes. Good morning, Elizabeth Pitman again with DHS. This amendment does two things. One, it
clarifies that if so she so chooses, the governor may add a population that's not otherwise excluded from the past. The purpose of this is there is a different bill um where you guys have asked us to do a traumatic brain injury waiver, and we believe that those services are very similar to those provided in the past, um, and that would be the best place to serve that population. So we've made sure this language allows for us to put that population in there. Additionally, there was some language in the original bill around 340B rebate drugs or 340B drugs. Currently the past is already allowing 340B providers
to serve patients in the past and you get the 340B rebates and then we as the state just do not collect a rebate on those drugs and they pay the 340B price. So this just takes that language out and allows that practice to continue. That's the amendment and uh as a member
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
45:19
of the committee, I make a motion to adopt the amendment. It's proper motion. All those in
favor say aye I posed, I have it. You can now present your bill as amended. Thank you. Thank you, committee. There are many ways, uh, Ms. Pittman kind of explained
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
45:36
what this bill does. Essentially we're allowing the governor with approval from ALC to move certain populations, uh, Medicaid populations into the past program, uh, representative Bentley said it very well when she said, you know, there's a lot of uncertainty going on in DC right now, and I think that we as a state sometimes need to be able to move fast in order to uh potentially create savings or to utilize the passes in a better way, and so if that were to occur, uh, it gives the governor latitude. To make that move, but at the same time, it also gives the
legislature the ability to approve that or deny that if they think that that is not the right move for our constituents. And so that's essentially what the bill does, and That's, that's it, short and sweet. appreciate DHS's help on this, so. Questions from the members, Representative Bentley, you recognize. Uh, this is where DHS
and she's there. So can you, do you, um, do you
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
46:29
believe this will bring some savings to the state. What is your, what is the impetus behind this that you guys want to see? Um, so,
Speaker 109
46:41
This was not our our bill. We didn't start this, so we do think past can result in savings. Yes, ma'am. And we definitely don't believe it will increase costs and because of the way the past program works, we do think it allows for better management of utilization, and so we have seen some savings off the the growth of Medicaid with the past to date and we anticipate that to continue to slow our overall growth and help reduce our spent. Thank you, thank you, Chairman. I do have a couple of questions as well. So when we're talking
about these populations, give us some examples. I know your amendment gave us an example of one population, but what's the target here? Who, who is this aimed towards? Well, I just think any populations
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
47:21
in which we're trying to create savings and better utilization care, uh, you know, I've actually been an advocate for moving maternal health into this as well, uh, and then of course we've also talked about the chip population as well. Those are kind of two areas where we think better utilization can be right for savings, but at the same time, you know, provide those those quality. Um You know, my understanding too is they were certain we originally ran to pass
legislation back in 2017, there were certain populations that were exempt from going into the passes are some of those long term care is one to think of, and they are still exempt even with this bill. I guess
my, my question would be, though, where are the current folks that we're thinking we would move into this population for savings, where are they currently covered? What's their insurance now? Medicaid. So we're thinking about moving straight from Medicaid into this. And we think that's the the cost savings that we're talking about would not affect anyone with
private insurance. OK, so this would be a step towards though making it would kind of be a step towards full managed care in a sense, right? Because we're moving those populations into what the managed care system is for the
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
48:26
state of Arkansas. Well, I would say it's actually a countermeasure against going full blown managed care
because instead you have provider led organized care, which, you know, that may seem like semantics, but the reality is we actually have the providers in control making these determinations, uh, you know. On, on care and I think we've seen success with the tier 1 and tier 2 populations, it has
reduced, has produced the savings we thought it was going to, um, and so, and once again I would much rather if we were to move population to create savings, we're putting them in organizations that are based here in Arkansas that are Arkansas provider led companies as opposed to some third party managed care company out of Dallas or, or, you know, San Francisco or something like that. I mean, I would hate to see us go to a full-blown managed care model. No, I agree with you and so and so. is kind of a counterway of if we need to produce savings, but we want to make sure that we have a better utilization of care. Now
granted, this is not, doesn't mean that the governor's going to do tomorrow. We can, as ALC say no to every single request there is. I know there's current legislation dealing with our uh Medicaid expansion population by Representative Lee Johnson and and Missy Urban, which I fully support and think it's a good policy to create the savings that we want to do. So I think that's good. I just think there's also maybe some other areas that as time goes on and we need to produce more savings, um, and especially when the heads come down and and need us to do certain things. We just have this in our back pocket and we're not having to be called in
for a special session or trying to wait until we
have, you know, um, 2 more years until we're back to a regular session. So that's, that's kind of why we did this now. OK, one more follow up,
Mr. Chair, for DHS is their populations that you're currently managing that you feel like that you're not gonna be able to provide the level of care management needed that would need to be shifted to the past. I am not aware of any or anything.
Speaker 109
50:08
Well, other than the traumatic brain injury that I testified about, it's not a currently
Speaker 214
50:18
covered population. Um, Janet's here. Oh, goody. Maybe the only one happy is. Um, good morning. It's not working. OK, there you go. Good morning, Janet Man, DHS, um, to answer your question, Representative Wardlaw, we don't have any identified populations at this time for to go into the past. I do believe um the new population that has a bill with traumatic brain injury is a, is a good population that should be considered for the past for home
and community-based services and for a holistic approach, but at this time we have no other identified populations. As we, as, um, Ms. Pitman stated that this did not start as our bill. We just offered amendments to, to make it workable. Right, so I guess
my question to you would be then, is there a need for this bill because we've already introduced a bill to move that other population into the
Speaker 219
51:13
past, correct? There is no, there's a bill to cover traumatic brain injury as a
Speaker 214
51:21
waiver and I believe we would like to have the option to either cover that for the most cost-effective means it will be a very small population, but that population could also have several different needs at different times of the year and having that extra care coordination and identified um throughout the community would be beneficial in the past is our initial thinking when we saw the bill and saw that it was passed. Thank you, ma'am. Representative Bentley, you recognize?
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
51:54
Thank you, Chairman. Um, so another quick question for DHS. Do you think this will this allow us to move maternal
patients over to the past if we think that's a good
Speaker 224
52:04
step. Um, I, I, I think it will allow the discussion, um, at this current time
Speaker 214
52:09
I've the agency has been focused on, um, presumptive eligibility and raising the OB rates and getting those effective for July 1, so not that we've done any analysis in the
Speaker 221
52:17
middle of session to consider that. Thank you, thank you.
Representative Denise Jones Ennett
Unverified
52:24
Resent in it, you recognize? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, forgive me for not knowing these things. I'm new to this committee, um, so under section B, intellectual or developmental disabilities what specifically is this doing for this community? Our population. And forgive me, I don't know how to ask this question.
I don't. Section B, under your amendment so I think that
Speaker 207
52:58
I think that is language already in the PASS Act. Yes, yeah, that's not new,
Speaker 109
53:02
yeah, the intellectual and developmental disability population is already an in, ma'am. OK, thank you. Representative Ladyman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Well,
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
53:11
I've got a lot of questions about this, and I apologize. I came in late, haven't really looked at the bill that much, but, uh, I, I'm concerned when we talk about adding things to the past to be covered because there's not enough money there to cover what we need to do now.
You know, I've got bills out there that I can't get funding for for the disabled. And if we move more populations into this unless we move more money into it, and I don't see that in the bill. I definitely can't be for that because if we move additional populations into the passes that are there to cover the disabled. And it's going to take away from the disabled, and I, I can't vote for something like that unless it's funded. So, I,
is it funded in this bill? Is there extra money
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
53:58
coming in? Well, no, I mean, the way it works is the money follows the patient. So if we were to move a population, the money that is going towards the population when moves as well, just like when we moved tier 2 and tier 3 in the passes. I mean, we took that Medicaid money and it went into the passes to follow them. So it would be if you moved the population, you'd be taking the existing money you're already paying to the program with it. So it's not like you're adding people but not adding the money that was paying for their services originally. Does that make sense? So you are
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
54:21
adding money. That's just yes or no. Well, it's not an
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
54:25
ad money because you're just moving money. You're moving money this
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
54:29
money follows the patient. What about facilities and maintaining facilities and having opportunities for these different groups. Are they going to be going into some of the facilities that we have for the disabled because they're already in trouble and we can't rebuild them. We can't get money to upgrade them. Uh
Speaker 219
54:49
Yeah, we're gonna, we're gonna switch out some of the subject matter experts, I believe, um, the HDCs are excluded
Speaker 8
54:57
from the past. Melissa Weatherton, um, Medicaid specialty populations, um,
representative Ladyman, so no, so Representative Bentley has passed a bill, um. asking DHS to set up a new program for people with traumatic brain injuries, a new waiver program. So most of our populations and the special side of the house, we put them in waivers, right? So we have waivers for the elderly, we have waivers for the aging, we have wagers for people with intellectual disability, and we have a waiver like program for mental mental health. So the goal would be to set up a new
waiver, um, for people with traumatic brain injuries, and we would house that. Under the past program and but that does not mean that based on their diagnosis that they would qualify for the same services that our clients with IDD or behavioral health qualify for, so they wouldn't be able to go to the Human Development centers or an intermediate care facility, it wouldn't be appropriate for us to send them inpatient, right at a behavioral health facility, um, we need to
set up a brand new package for them, um, to serve their. prognosis. OK. Well, thank you for
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
56:10
that, and if it's a small group and it's
a designated group, I'm OK with that, but this bill looks pretty open ended, and it says that counsel can approve it, but it's a very open-ended bill in my opinion. It doesn't just talk about one group. No, sorry, it does, it
Speaker 214
56:27
does not talk about one group. What it does allow is if a population is
identified that it could be um considered with governor's office approval and then come before ALC to be considered to be moved into the past. There's also still a list of populations that are not qualified to enter the past and those still remain. So those are not being removed with this bill or amendment. All right. Thank you. Any additional questions by the committee?
Seeing none, do we have anyone who has signed up to speak for or against the bill. See none you recognized clothes for your
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
57:15
bill. Thank you. I appreciate the discussion. I just want to reiterate, you know, when we ran the past legislation in the 2017 session, uh, it's almost a decade ago, uh, you know, there were certain populations we exempted. We're still maintaining that we're going to keep those populations exempted. That was part of the deal we made back then. We're still honoring that. We just, like I said, there's some smaller groups that we may want to be able to move into the past
so that we can get better efficiencies and, and that's, that's, that's simply it. Like I said, ALC. still gets to, you know, approve if the governor makes this move or not, so it still gives us a lot of control on this and have a lively discussion when it happens, so there's nothing going to be arbitrary about it. Uh, pretty simple and so I think, you know, obviously like I said, when we're just worried about the future and you know what things coming down for the federal government. We just want to have more tools on the toolbox and to me this is a tool in the toolbox, but it also protects the original agreements we made. Back in the 2017 session about
exempting certain populations, so we're honoring our commitments there, we're getting ourselves the flexibility of some of these new groups like the traumatic brain injury waiver being able to go in here so that we can treat them and utilize some of the specialties that the passes have to better take care of these patients and save the state a little bit of money. So with that, I make a motion to pass.
Speaker 181
58:29
As amended correct as a yes, yes, chairman. All
right, so I got a few members of a discussion, um, recognized my vice chair first, Representative Woolridge.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and thank you, Representative Poin for bringing this bill. I think that
definitely some conversations along this need to happen and maybe through an interim study or some process where we look at populations, um, narrowly focused that we would want to move into the past system. To me, I agree with Representative Ladyman. I think it's too broad, it's too open-ended, and for that reason, I'm voting no, but open to a discussion in the future, but thank you for bringing it. Representative Ladyman you recognize. Thank
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
59:04
you, Mr. Chairman. Well, Representative Woolridge, I appreciate your
comments there, but let me, I don't want to change someone's vote here by my questions. I just had a lot of questions about that, and we have to have guardrails that we don't dilute the population that we're trying to serve with the passes. And, and I want to make sure that we do that. You do have some guard rails. It does have to go to council. I'm still a little nervous about this, but um I I I think I will be voting for your bill. Any other discussion from the committee.
CNN and all those in favor, say ah. All those
opposed? No. You guys keep hitting this 50% mark. Um Miss Davis, you would call
Speaker 174
1:00:00
the role. Representative Hanley. Representative Henley, no. Representative Barnes. It was in a Barnes, yes.
Representative Gramley. Representative Gramley. Representative Rose. Representative Rose, yes. Representative more Representative more Representative Schultz. in our shorts? No. Representative Long, Representative Long, no.
Representative in it Representative in its representative in it, yes. Representative Richardson. Representative Richardson, no. There was enough Cooper. Representative Cooper. Representative Johnson, Representative Johnson, yes. Representative Perry. I was of Perry? No.
Representative Pilkington. Resent a 10 years. Representative Allen. Representative Allen. Representative Ferguson. Representative Ferguson. Representative Bentley, Representative Bentley, yes. Representative Ladyman. Representative Ladyman, yes.
Representative McGee. Representative McGee. Representative for. Representative Wooldridge, no. With
a trend. You didn't meet the
Speaker 241
1:02:18
11 needed, so the bill has failed. If you, uh, Do you have,
there is. One more on the agenda. It's on the
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:02:33
first page. I think that's the minority Health one. Is that it? We can move that to deferred. They have agreed to work with me in the interim
to create that program, so we're not gonna need friends, um, we're not gonna need legislation. That, so. There were 23. Um-hum.
Representative Johnson, do you have a few bills you want to try today? OK, what's the number 18 what? 1869, OK. All right, if you would just
Representative, you're recognized to present your amendment members, this
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:04:25
amendment corrects some language in the legislative intent section of the bill. This was brought to my attention by the Department of Health, and we're just changing up that language and appreciate a good vote on
the amendment. Any questions on the amendment? I got a motion do pass on the amendment. All those in favors, say ah. I pose, I have it. So you are now recognized to present House Bill 1869 as amended. Thank you, Mr. Chairman
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:04:52
and committee.it, there was a lot of good work that came out of the working groups the governor put together with this executive order around maternal outcomes, some of which was adopted into the Healthy Moms Act that we've signed into law, which is a great bill. Some of the other They get built, good, good projects, but maybe didn't quite have the funding identified at the time. Uh, this is one of those items that came out of those discussions. This bill is contingent upon funding, so right now this is would be setting up the potential for a
program if funding became available later, but wouldn't mandate any program on Department of Health. What we're trying to do with this program is mimic what we've done in trauma and in stroke, which which create a statewide system of care around maternal health. So for If you're familiar with the trauma system, one of the things we did in the trauma system is we created, we saw
back in 2000 in the 20000s, early 2010s, we're having a pretty significant
That's working. There we, there we go. So we were having a problem very similar to what we're having with internal health right now.
We're having a problem with trauma mortality, that's preventable. Uh, there are states all around the country at the time that had a statewide trauma system. We did not have one in Arkansas, so we developed one. The basis for that system is a designation system for hospitals. So what we did is we categorized hospitals based on their capabilities as to what kind of traumas they might could take care of. Uh, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has for over a decade now called for state.
To create a designation system for their maternal delivery hospitals. So this bill, if funding became available, would mandate that the Department of Health work with stakeholders to create a designation system for our delivery hospitals based on their capabilities, additionally, we provide a grant process like we do with trauma to these delivery hospitals providing the most grant money to the least, uh, volume hospitals who need the money the most. It sets up the criteria for applying for those grants. It also sets up the Eligibility for those grants
requiring hospitals participate in peer review, and education in the community, uh, making sure that their providers at the hospital do appropriate CME or continuing medical education around maternal health. It also sets up a call center like we do with traumacom to coordinate transfers around the state so that if you're in a small emergency department somewhere and you have a woman who is ill and needs to be delivered, you can have a one stop shop call to try to figure out where that woman needs to go uh to get the best care. She needs the most appropriate care. Sometimes that might be a
high-level center, sometimes it might be just a a few a few miles down the road to a hospital that does basic deliveries. Um, additionally, it would, it would create a follow-up call center for uh women postpartum. Uh, we're doing this as a pilot right now at UAMS. This would provide that uh function within the. Continue to continue to uh to work that program. That program's been very reaching out to mothers, post delivery and trying to make sure they don't
have any specific needs that aren't being addressed. So that call center right now is trying to reach 100% of the deliveries in Arkansas, so that's about 36,000 in Arkansas. Um, again, it's a good program, um, we just don't have the funding identified right now to support it, but I'd like to have it in place in case we come to a crisis in the next couple of years before we're back in session. and if we needed to have funding to some of these rural hospitals that are still doing deliveries, this would create, create the, the guidelines for that, and I'd be happy to answer any questions on the bill itself.
Where in the bill does it identify the funding or lack of funding
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:08:42
that's it's page 3 at the bottom, at the top, so page 3 lines 3 through 5. Uh, the activities of the maternal outcomes management. System, by the way, I like that acronym. Uh, under this section in the additional requirements under the subchapter are contingent upon the availability and appropriation of funding. OK, and you're not running an appropriation.
OK. They would have to find that they would have to find that funding within their own budget and, and again, you know,
I may at some point, you know, I, I'm past the following deadline for appropriation. We could amend, I guess, the Department of Health Budget to make an appropriation, but there's no funding identified for this. Representative Ladyman, you recognize. Thank you,
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
1:09:28
Mr. Chairman. Uh, Representative Johnson, just a question. I, I know you're not asking for funding, maybe you haven't looked at that, but is there an estimate on the cost of this it's, it's a grant funding
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:09:39
mechanism, right? So you could put any amount of money
into it. Let's say you put a million dollars into it, then you would have a structure set up where your lower tier hospitals that do less deliveries could qualify for a portion of that grant money and it would be up to the department to figure out how to allot that, right? When I first started looking at this process, I sort of worked. backwards from, hey, what do you need for rural hospitals to delivering babies to to stay viable, you know, it's, it's a numbers game for these small hospitals. If they're doing less than 300 deliveries a year, it's very hard for them to stay
financially viable because they can't afford, based on the revenue to pay for the providers. And so I started by looking at we have 34 delivery hospitals right now in Arkansas. There's about 10 of those that would meet that less than 300, the indications I got was around a million dollars is what they needed to be whole. So, uh, working backwards from the numbers, you know, the number I originally came to was around 20
million, uh, and that's a big number and a lot to ask, right, for something that's not a proven effective system, so I don't think there's a
specific number that that I think there's a number out there that would make our delivery, our delivery hospital's hull, but I don't know that that all needs to come from this, right? One of the things we did with the Healthy bombs is we increased reimbursement in Medicaid, which is going to go a long ways, I think, to helping these rural hospitals and maybe reduce the delta between what they can make and, and what they need to stay viable, but I still think there's going to, for some of these small hospitals who are on the brink of losing
their delivery services. I still think they're going to need to be subsidized, even with the increased Medicaid reimbursement, so I think at some point you're going to see
some of our small rural hospitals coming to the state asking for money, or they're going to say, look, we're going to have to close our delivery. delivery division again and so this, this would give us a target to try to put some guardrails on that money. So
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
1:11:27
I think I heard you say that, you know,
we could do small amounts, so have y'all had this discussion about, you know, during the interim, money could be moved one line to another line, that sort of thing to cover emergencies
in a small hospital like you're talking
about. So that, that is a possibility. I believe it
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:11:45
is, right? And that's the goal is trying to set up this framework is, you know, if a small hospital comes to us.
In the interim and says, hey, look, we're about to have to close all of our OB services instead of just handing them a check, perhaps we could set up this framework and say, look, we'll give you the money if you do A, B, C, and D to try to help reduce mortality. That's how we leverage performance with the trauma system, and I think we could do the same thing with this system. All right, thank you. Representative Bentley, you recognize.
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
1:12:16
Thank you, Chairman. So, um, thank you, Robert W. Johnson, all you do for maternal health and health across the state. I appreciate it. So Do you see a cost for setting up the framework here. I'm just trying to read through it
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:12:27
so I did, I did, I did when I was working on this bill, I did talk to the Department of Health and and ask for sort of some estimates for just setting up like, what would be the setup cost to get the designation system made, right? And what would be the setup cost to get the call center set up and then what would be the ongoing operational costs. I haven't looked behind me. I feel certain
that someone from the Department of Health is in the room. But I, I, my memory of those estimates was around 1 to $2 million to get it set up and it may be around a million dollars in operating costs annually. once it was up and running, but again, don't quote me on that, I have to get them to the table to be sure. Do you mind if we bring them up just real quick what we felt.
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
1:13:19
You're good. Matt Gilmore, Hartman Health. Uh, thank you for being here today. We haven't seen your smiling face in a couple of weeks, so we had to bring you to the front and center. Glad to be here. So looking at this bill, I, you know, I know we've seen great success with our trauma system. Again, we're trying to, I think we're all trying to balance money right now with Medicaid and where we're at. So can you give some as a cost assessment so you think to get this started and to maintain it and uh where the funding come from for that? I can't speak to where the
Matt Gilmore
Unverified
1:13:50
funding would come from as far as dollar amounts, I think Representative Johnson's about right. It kind of depends on You know To what scale you want to go to. I mean, typically you start small and and and build out, but I think, you know, uh, several million dollars on the on the front end to get it set up would be, you know, because you're gonna need, uh, staff to go assess the hospitals. You're going to need healthcare professionals that know what they're know that process, know what an OB department should have and to meet the framework
established by uh uh ACOG, I believe so he mentioned. And there are some things that it would be cost on the front end, but I think that would go away over. time, but you would need ongoing, uh, uh, revenue or funding to put into that and it would just depend on, you know, what level y'all wanted and then, you know, how you, how many hospitals you want to fund and and and then to, you know, what money's available as well. I think
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:14:42
I'm wrong, but I think there would be two buckets of money to think about once you got this set up. There's the operational bucket, which we already have the trauma system that's running, so you know we
would have to layer on, you know, I hope we could layer onto the trauma system. We already have the postpartum call center. at UMS up and running at some point the grant money is going to play out on that one, but that one's probably funded for another 2 or 3 years, um, and then just the
operating the grant program, that's the operational piece, which I think is probably, I don't want to, it's probably less than a million dollars annually to operate. Yeah, I think some of the the initial, you
Matt Gilmore
Unverified
1:15:16
know, several million or whatever would go down significantly once you get it set up and going, that would be much smaller, but
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:15:22
there would be some startup costs and then the second portion of the money would be, OK, how much do we want to subsidize the hospitals, and that's the really open-ended ticket, right? Do we want to put a million dollars into the subsidies, 5 million, 10 million. How much do we think we need to put into the, into the grant pot. So I think there's this startup cost, which is a couple of million dollars, and I think there's ongoing operational costs in the range of a million dollars depending again on how big it is and then there's how much money do we want to put in the grant program. Thank you, thank you, Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So Representative Johnson, I just want to make sure I'm clear on this. I thought I was, now I'm not sure that I am, but I know you said there's no appropriation with the fund, but you are requiring the establishment of the framework and all that currently
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:16:07
or not? No, that is the way I read the bill, all that's contingency on funding. Is that the
Matt Gilmore
Unverified
1:16:12
way you read the bill as well? I think that was our intent when
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:16:15
you spoke. I haven't looked at the, the specific language,
the way I read the specific languages the setup and the subsection is all dependent on both funding and appropriation, which currently has not been identified. OK, I just want to double check.
Speaker 267
1:16:25
Thank you, sir. Any other questions from the committee? Seeing no or anyone
else in the audience speak for or against the bill. I notice how Mr. Gilmore leads real rapidly at that point. Are you closed for your bill? I am Mr. Chairman,
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
1:16:44
to make a motion to pass as amended. That's proper motion and discussion
on motion. See no all those in favor. Say ah. ah. All those pose.
And my rule bill has failed from lack of 11 votes.
So With that, you don't have any other bills? I do not. Thank
you. Yes, sir. So we'll move on to uh Representative Mayberry. Go back to the top of the agenda. I believe it's House Bill 1164. Is that correct?
Is a House Bill 1164. OK, you're Uh, members has physical impacts if you would pause for
a second, we'll get that passed out. No amendment though, correct?
and maybe you recognize to present your
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
1:18:47
bill. Thank you, members, uh, State Representative Julie Mayberry and I'll let David. David Cook, director of
David Cook
Unverified
1:18:53
government affairs for the Alzheimer's Association. We, um,
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
1:18:57
presented this bill a few weeks back and um we have worked with DHS and as I mentioned in the beginning, we worked with the Arkansas Medical Society and with Blue Cross to address some issues that they had on the bill. Um, I don't know if anybody right now who is
against the bill. I believe we're all neutral, and what this bill will do would make it easier for someone to get an earlier diagnosis, um, on Alzheimer's or dementia, and the need for that. is so incredibly great right now because there's actually medicine that can be provided to someone in an early stage of Alzheimer's, which is showing tremendous um progress and so that's why it's so important to get these cognitive tests done
at the earliest stage possible, um, I'll let David Cook kind of explain a little
David Cook
Unverified
1:19:51
bit more, um, as, as you know, Alzheimer's is a growing public health crisis here in the state of Arkansas, um. Early detection and diagnosis has always been a priority of the association, but now in the era of treatments is even more paramount to ensure patients in Arkansans have access to cognitive assessments. There are now medical benefits as treatments are available for people in the very early stages of the disease and what House Bill 1164 does just ensure that
there is established insurance coverage, but also Medicaid coverage for individuals who have a higher risk of developing dementia, so there's medical benefits and I know There's emotional and social benefits for caregivers, um, my, my father, we, he's in the VA health system, but we fought for about 4 or 5 years to get him accurately diagnosed, and once we got an accurate diagnosis, it's really changed the way that my mother's been able to care for him, and we were able to put some things in place as his disease progresses, and he was
able in the early stages to inform how he wanted to be cared for as he advances in his disease as well. So early detection and diagnosis is so critical. Uh, and what House Bill 1164 does just to ensure that there's access to cognitive assessments. Happy to take any questions if there are any. And the only
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
1:21:05
thing that I would like to add to is that this did come out of I I co-chair with Clint Penzo, the Alzheimer's disease and dementia advisory Committee that meets at least quarterly throughout the year and this.
actually came from the Department of Health is one of the suggestions into our um packet that we um put together as Um, things that we want to accomplish, so that's where this idea actually came from, and I'd appreciate a good vote. Any questions from the
committee? Representative Barne you recognize one question. Thank you,
Representative Glenn Barnes
Unverified
1:21:40
Chair. Uh, who qualifies for the examination. How do we pick the people that will be examined. Well, it's a,
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
1:21:50
it's a May, um, the physician and the healthcare provider, um, anyone over 60, the physician may offer, this is not a shall, they don't have to have to do this. That was one of the things that the Arkansas Medical Society asked for us to change, so it is a May and um it just ensures that there's uh coverage of
Representative Glenn Barnes
Unverified
1:22:11
it. So this is not basically just gonna be testing everyone above that age. It'd be someone. It shows signs of maybe having that. particular disease. Yes. Thank you.
Speaker 281
1:22:26
Any other questions from committee? OK, hold on one second.
Sorry, business unrelated to this bill, but I had to get it done, um, anyone in the audience
speak for or against the bill? And Mr. Cook, you've already testified, Greg. Yes, sir. OK. Um. Are you closed for your bill? I have a motion to pass any discussion on the motion? Seeing no all those in favor, say ah. All post I'm gonna say the bill has failed from a lack of reaching 11. Um Sorry about that. All right, Representative in it, you're
Representative Denise Jones Ennett
Unverified
1:23:26
recognized. All right OK Good morning committee members. How are you? I am State Representative Denise Sennett. I represent District 80 here downtown Little Rock and parts of Pulaski County.
Um, I have house Bill 1856. And this is just a very simple bill. The title says what the bill does. Um, back last session, um, me and Senator Wallace, we um did a bill to increase penalties for perpetual cemeteries and this bill in front of you today is just to um increase the penalty from $500 to $1000. Any questions on the bill?
Anyone in the audience. Oh, Representative Long, you
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
1:24:40
recognize. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Representative Anne, um, um, I'm sorry, if you could kind of catch me up on
Representative Denise Jones Ennett
Unverified
1:24:49
what, what the finds for, um, so. Perpetual care cemeteries, um, I have one in my district, this is a constituent lead bill, um. Perpetual care cemeteries are. The you pay money, it's supposed
to go into a fund and they're supposed to maintain the cemeteries and what I'm finding with this one particular one in my district, they're not doing so, and so the cemetery is just. rotting and the sexton that's over it is not keeping up, he's not doing what he's supposed to do, the owner is not doing what he's supposed to do, so this bill is to strengthen the penalties, so they will pay more for every infraction. That they're violating.
Speaker 228
1:25:37
Except Representative. Um Is there any way for someone who is keeps
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:25:48
on violating this because it sounds like it's a recurring problem. Is there any way to remove them from the management of the cemetery or have someone take over the cemeteries. I
Representative Denise Jones Ennett
Unverified
1:25:56
mean, I just, do I have? Chair. They'll have somebody from the Arkansas Insurance department here. That's, that's fine. I just, we,
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:26:07
we talk a lot about cemeteries all the time and I just was curious if we need to get more
Representative Denise Jones Ennett
Unverified
1:26:14
aggressive. I like Bill. I like getting more and I would love to work with somebody who would like to work with me with this because this is an issue and we keep on increasing the penalties, but it's still not working. So until we could find a way to um help to perpetual cemeteries, um, this is the only solution that I see, so, um. We increased that penalty last
session as well, but still nothing happened. So I mean I think, I think it's a good direction. I think represent Pilkington has a good idea, but I don't think there's a statute that sits
Speaker 292
1:26:50
up that allows that at the moment. Yeah, we, this
Representative Denise Jones Ennett
Unverified
1:26:52
has been something we've almost handled a great area and um I think I requested an interim study to address this issue to maybe bring something forward next session. Perfect. Anyone in the
audience speak for or against the bill? See you on, um, you close for
your bill? I'm close. Representative Pilkington, do you have a motion? Have a motion to pass any discussion. All those in favor, say ah.
All opposed, I have it. You're good. Representative Bentley, you're recognized to present House Bill 1854. Thank you, Chairman. Thank you
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
1:27:40
committee. This is House Bill 1854, very simple bill, pro-business, pro uh patient care, pro, uh, Worker bill, I think so right now in Arkansas, um, to be a licensed home health care worker takes 40 hours of training, and if these employees go from one employer to the next, right now they're having to, there's not clarification, so some of them having to redo that complete 40 hours of training, which makes it uh Financially straining on the provider, uh, the businesses and a lot of extra time for the people that are working. So this
just allows um them to be a verification they've already received the 40 hours of training and not have to repeat it very simple bill. So just one line making sure they've already had the 40 hours of training, they don't have to repeat it if they move to another company that they work for, and I'd be happy to take any questions. Any
questions by the committee? Seeing none. Is there anyone in the audience that would like to speak for or against the bill? See no one your representative you to close for your bill. I'm close and I make a
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
1:28:37
motion to do pass. That's motion discussion on the motion?
See none all those in favor say aye opposed? Congratulations, you passed your bill. Representative Ladyman, you're recognized to go to
Speaker 240
1:29:07
the end of the table. Are you presenting 1858. You
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
1:29:11
recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Committee HB 1858 is a bill that
was brought to me by a constituent, uh. There was an 11 year old boy in my district who was diagnosed at level 2 diabetes at 11 years old. And The bottom line is that if he had been diagnosed earlier, it would have not gotten to that stage. This is based on the medical professional that was involved. So they asked me to run a bill to Require testing for diabetes at 3 year old of all children.
Uh, it's a very simple test. The AC one, I believe, to help me out here, Phil. ACL one, test for all children at the age of 3 to try to catch diabetes at an earlier age. And I put this out there, got a lot of comments back from people, and it's a good idea, but it's a very complicated thing, uh, the cost, who does it, how do we do it? Is it just doctors? Is it teachers? What's the cost? So I think it's a good bill. I want to run it again, but there be a lot of work done on this.
So I want to put it in interim study and come back next year with a really good bill because I think it's something we need to
do. So thank you, Mr. Chairman. Are you making a motion to put that into interim study? Yes, I am. That's proper motion. Any discussion on
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:30:33
the motion? Yeah, I misspoke. It's actually A1C, sorry, not ALC, sorry. Thank
you, Dr. Pilkington. All right, see no further discussion, all those in favor say aye. Opposed. Congratulations, sir. We'll move that to interim study.
All members, we don't have anyone else that signed up for a particular bill. Is there anyone on the committee that has a bill on the regular agenda they would like to run today. We'll give you a second. We've moved around the agenda. We want to make sure that committee members have an opportunity to check
on that. All right, see you then, we'll continue to work through through the agenda.
be You're recognized to go to the end of the table. You will identify yourself for the record, and you will be recognized to
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
1:31:47
run Senate Bill 264. Thank you. Representative Baron Pilkington, District 45, um, here to redeem myself today actually no, this is, uh, this is a good bill by Senator Ervin
and Lee Johnson. I know in the essence of time, I think just getting it off the agenda would be great. So essentially we're just creating a primary care payment improvement working group that's going to be appointed by the Speaker, the pro temp, and have a few members who will be uh from the insurance commission from Arkansas Center for Health Improvement. uh, secretary of the Department of Human Services or his or her designate and so it's essentially just a working group to try to figure out ways that we can improve payments on primary care. It doesn't force anything to happen. It's just, just a working group. And so with that, I uh
Take any questions, but it's pretty straightforward, Bill. Any questions by
the committee? See down anyone in the audience I'd like to speak for or against the bill. So no one you reckon that's close for your bill. I'm closed for a motion to pass. That's proper motioning discussion on the motion. See none all those in favor say aye. Opposed. Congratulations, Representative, you passed your bill. Committee any any other bills on the agenda that need to be run today? So none, I will encourage you all to continue to work through the deferred bills. We've got a
long list of deferred bills, uh, if you will, as you're ready to move those to active, reach out to uh staff Miss copy representative Wardlaw, Chairman Wardlaw, and myself, and we'll move those bills see no further business, we stand adjourned.
Agenda
REGULAR AGENDA
HB1142 A. Brown TO CREATE THE REPRODUCTIVE EMPOWERMENT AND SUPPORT THROUGH OPTIMAL RESTORATION (RESTORE) ACT.
HB1164 J. Mayberry TO ALLOW A PHYSICIAN OR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER TO OFFER COGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS FOR CERTAIN PATIENTS; AND TO MANDATE THAT INSURANCE POLICIES COVER ASSESSMENTS FOR COGNITIVE FUNCTION FOR CERTAIN PATIENTS.
HB1277 Gramlich TO AMEND PAYMENTS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION REGARDING PETROLEUM STORAGE TANKS.
HB1332 Pilkington TO REQUIRE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO COVER GLUCAGON- LIKE PEPTIDE-1 RECEPTOR AGONISTS, ALSO KNOWN AS GLP-1 AGONISTS, WHEN PRESCRIBED FOR WEIGHT LOSS.
HB1588 McAlindon TO REQUIRE APPROVAL OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES SEEKS OR IMPLEMENTS AN EXPANSION OF COVERAGE FOR THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM.
HB1592 J. Mayberry TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA PUBLIC HEALTH ACT.
SB257 C. Penzo TO AMEND THE MEDICAID FAIRNESS ACT; TO EXTEND THE APPEAL PERIOD FOR PROVIDERS IN THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM; AND TO REQUIRE COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION IN NOTICES OF ADVERSE DECISIONS.
HB1653 Cavenaugh TO SET STANDARDS FOR LICENSING AND REGULATION OF PSYCHIATRIC RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
SB100 C. Penzo TO AUTHORIZE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM TO RECOGNIZE A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT AS A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER.
HB1723 Pilkington TO AMEND INITIATED ACT 1 OF 2000, ALSO KNOWN AS THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT PROCEEDS ACT; AND TO DIRECT THE ARKANSAS MINORITY HEALTH COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER A GRANT PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.
HB1776 Lundstrum TO AMEND THE CERTIFICATE OF NEED REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A SOLID WASTE LANDFILL OR TRANSFER STATION PERMIT OR AN EXPANSION OF A SOLID WASTE LANDFILL OR TRANSFER STATION PERMIT.
HB1791 C. Cooper TO CLARIFY THAT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND THE UNITED NATIONS DO NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OR POWER IN THIS STATE AND DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE OR IMPLEMENT ACTIONS IN THIS STATE.
HB1795 A. Brown TO CREATE THE FERTILITY CLINIC LICENSURE ACT.
HB1816 L. Johnson TO PROHIBIT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND HEALTHCARE INSURERS FROM USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE DELIVERY OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES OR THE GENERATION OF MEDICAL RECORDS UNLESS CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
HB1818 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED CARE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT.
HB1819 L. Johnson TO REQUIRE THE STATE REGISTRAR OF VITAL RECORDS TO COORDINATE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES TO CONTACT MOTHERS FOR SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE DURING THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD.
HB1854 Bentley TO EXEMPT A HOME CAREGIVER FROM HOME CAREGIVER TRAINING IF HE OR SHE PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED TRAINING.
HB1856 Ennett TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE STATE BOARD OF EMBALMERS, FUNERAL DIRECTORS, CEMETERIES, AND BURIAL SERVICES; AND TO INCREASE THE CIVIL PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS BY A LICENSEE.
HB1858 Ladyman TO REQUIRE A PEDIATRICIAN TO SCREEN FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES AT THE YEARLY WELL-CHILD VISIT; AND TO REQUIRE THAT THE ARKANSAS MEDICAID PROGRAM AND HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS COVER TYPE 1 DIABETES SCREENINGS.
HB1869 L. Johnson TO CREATE THE MATERNAL OUTCOMES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; AND TO ORGANIZE MATERNAL HEALTH RESOURCES.
HB1880 Hudson TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HUMAN LIFE PROTECTION ACT AND THE ARKANSAS UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT TO ADD CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS.
HB1882 Pilkington TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF ENROLLABLE MEDICAID BENEFICIARY POPULATION AND ALLOW THE GOVERNOR TO DESIGNATE MEDICAID POPULATIONS TO BE ENROLLED UNDER THE MEDICAID PROVIDER-LED ORGANIZED CARE ACT.
HB1888 Steele TO AMEND THE DIVISION OF WORKFORCE SERVICES LAW; AND TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT RECORDS FOR INDIVIDUALS.
SB264 Irvin TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS PRIMARY CARE PAYMENT IMPROVEMENT WORKING GROUP.
SB460 Irvin TO MODIFY THE COMPLIANCE ADVISORY PANEL; TO REPEAL THE MARKETING RECYCLABLES PROGRAM OF THE COMPLIANCE ADVISORY PANEL; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
HB1768
Documents
| Title | Type | Pages | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agenda — PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE, Apr 1, 2025 | Agenda | 3 | Official source ↗ |
Speakers
Representative Jeff Wardlaw Chair
Unverified
Representative Frances Cavenaugh
Unverified
Speaker 8
Speaker 19
Speaker 21
Representative Robin Lundstrum
Unverified
Representative Aaron Pilkington
Unverified
Representative Zack Gramlich
Unverified
Representative R. Scott Richardson
Unverified
Speaker 86
Speaker 85
Representative Dolly Henley
Unverified
Chair
Unverified
Speaker 65
Speaker 102
Speaker 105
Speaker 107
Speaker 109
Speaker 48
Representative Ryan A. Rose
Unverified
Speaker 129
Speaker 136
Representative Mary Bentley
Unverified
Speaker 161
Representative Mark Perry
Unverified
Speaker 162
Speaker 174
Speaker 176
Representative Jeremy Wooldridge Chair
Unverified
Speaker 214
Speaker 219
Speaker 224
Speaker 221
Representative Denise Jones Ennett
Unverified
Speaker 207
Representative Jack Ladyman
Unverified
Speaker 181
Speaker 241
Representative Lee Johnson
Unverified
Matt Gilmore
Unverified
Speaker 267
Representative Julie Mayberry
Unverified
David Cook
Unverified
Representative Glenn Barnes
Unverified
Speaker 281
Representative Wayne Long
Unverified
Speaker 228
Speaker 292
Speaker 240