This bill aims to address discrepancies in reimbursement rates within the Arkansas Medicaid Program by prohibiting different rates for services performed by the same type of provider in different settings. Specifically, it highlights the issue where physicians are compensated more for services rendered in their own offices compared to the same services provided in behavioral health agencies or certified support services provider agencies, despite using the same billing codes. The bill asserts that this inconsistency places behavioral health services at a disadvantage and seeks to ensure equitable reimbursement rates across different settings.

To implement this change, the bill introduces a new section to the Arkansas Code, which mandates that the Arkansas Medicaid Program cannot pay different reimbursement rates for identical services based solely on the setting in which they are provided. Additionally, it requires the Department of Human Services to seek any necessary federal waivers or amendments to the Medicaid state plan to facilitate this adjustment.