The bill seeks to terminate the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Program and transition all beneficiaries to the traditional Arkansas Medicaid Program. It establishes a timeline for this transition, with the program's termination set for December 31, 2026, and the Governor instructed to submit a waiver for the transfer of enrollees effective July 1, 2025. The Department of Human Services is responsible for notifying current enrollees and facilitating the transfer process. Additionally, the bill repeals various sections of the Arkansas Code related to the now-defunct program, including the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Act of 2021, and amends existing legal language to ensure compliance with reporting requirements.

Moreover, the bill introduces new requirements for eligible individuals regarding cost-sharing and premium payments while removing previous provisions related to healthcare coverage enrollment options. It eliminates the requirement for coverage through individual qualified health insurance plans and the annual development of purchasing guidelines by the Department of Human Services. The bill also establishes the Health and Economic Outcomes Accountability Oversight Advisory Panel to monitor health initiatives and ensure quality performance targets are met. Furthermore, it amends the insurance premium tax regulations by removing references to the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Act of 2021 and requiring separate certification of taxes based on premiums collected, thereby streamlining the handling of insurance premium taxes.

Statutes affected:
SB 62: 19-5-984(b), 19-5-1146, 23-61-1001, 23-61-803(h), 26-57-604(a), 26-57-610(b)