The bill seeks to terminate the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Program and transition all beneficiaries to the traditional Arkansas Medicaid Program, with a planned termination date of December 31, 2026. It mandates the Governor to submit a waiver for this transfer effective July 1, 2025, and assigns the Department of Human Services the responsibility of notifying current enrollees and facilitating their transition. The bill also includes provisions for repealing various sections of the Arkansas Code related to the program, including the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Act of 2021, and amends existing legal language to ensure compliance with reporting requirements.

In addition to the program's termination, the bill introduces new requirements for eligible individuals regarding cost-sharing and premium payments, with penalties for non-compliance. It removes previous limitations on out-of-pocket costs for health insurance premiums and mandates that health benefit plans purchased by the Department of Human Services adhere to new standards, including maintaining a medical-loss ratio of at least 80%. The bill also establishes community bridge organizations to support specific populations and creates an oversight panel to review health and economic outcomes related to the program. Furthermore, it amends the insurance premium tax regulations by removing references to the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Act of 2021 and introduces new certification requirements for tax handling.

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)