AR HB1900

Updates the effective date for health insurance coverage requirements from January 1, 2000 to January 1, 2018, requiring all health plans to cover specialized medical foods and formulas for treatment of inborn errors of metabolism.

Expands the list of covered metabolic disorders from four conditions (phenylketonuria, galactosemia, organic acidemias, and amino acid metabolism disorders) to 24 specific inherited metabolic disorders including maple syrup urine disease, homocystinuria, and various acidemias.

Requires medical foods and formulas to be prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider and administered under direction of a licensed healthcare practitioner; excludes nurse practitioners and physician's assistants from serving as prescribers.

Establishes that covered treatment must be derived from evidence-based practice guidelines and be efficacious, and allows health plans to impose deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.

Provides for Department of Health reimbursement up to $1,000 per individual per year to healthcare providers when medical food costs exceed the $2,400 annual income tax credit and the individual cannot afford or has been denied insurance coverage.