SB 53 Summary

• Appropriates $12,841,803 for the Department of Human Services - Division of Medical Services operations for fiscal year 2023-2024, including $6,527,589 for regular salaries and $2,257,092 for personal services matching.

• Authorizes 96 maximum regular employees across various positions including division director, deputy director, pharmacists, nurses, attorneys, program administrators, and support staff.

• Appropriates $9,930,094,296 for grant payments covering Medicaid programs including ARKIDS B ($207,222,020), hospital and medical services ($8,034,125,877), prescription drugs ($509,386,547), and nursing home care ($1,174,671,411).

• Establishes pharmaceutical dispensing fee survey requirements using generally accepted accounting principles to determine cost of dispensing prescriptions, with fees set no lower than survey results and not including acquisition costs or profit.

• Restricts Department of Human Services from using appropriations to promote enrollment in Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace or Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me, except for direct communications, solicited requests, and factual educational materials.