HB 1312 Summary

• Establishes the Transportation Benefit Manager Act in Arkansas Code Title 23, Chapter 99, Subchapter 16, creating a regulatory framework for entities managing ambulance services and claims.

• Prohibits transportation benefit managers and contracting entities from requiring prior authorization for ground or air prehospital transportation and for emergent or urgent transfers between medical facilities.

• Requires prior authorization decisions for non-urgent ambulance services to be provided or automatically approved within 20 minutes, and mandates 24/7 direct contact availability for authorization requests.

• Mandates payment of 250% of the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule Rural Rate for authorized ambulance services within 30 days, prohibits balance billing to subscribers beyond standard cost-sharing, and protects authorized claims from audit recoupment.

• Makes transportation benefit managers subject to the Trade Practices Act and prohibits implementation costs from justifying premium increases or payment decreases to ambulance providers or medical facilities.