Bill > HB1427

This bill, known as the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act, proposes several significant changes to Arkansas Medicaid's maternal health services. The bill requires the Arkansas Medicaid Program to provide reimbursement for depression screening for pregnant women, and creates new provisions for comprehensive maternal healthcare coverage. These provisions include separate reimbursement for prenatal, delivery, and postpartum services instead of global payments, covering services like office visits, laboratory fees, remote monitoring, and glucose monitoring for gestational diabetes. The bill also establishes presumptive eligibility for pregnant women to improve access to prenatal care, mandates coverage for self-measurement blood pressure monitoring with patient education and device provision, reimburses for remote ultrasound procedures using secure digital technology, and provides coverage for services by doulas and community health workers. Additionally, the bill modifies the statute of limitations for medical injuries, specifically allowing minors until their fifth birthday to commence an action for alleged medical injuries that occurred during childbirth. The Department of Human Services is tasked with applying for necessary federal waivers and developing rules to implement these new provisions.

Health and Social Services

https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=hb1427&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R