Signed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act to improve maternal health in Arkansas.

Highlights:

• Establishes depression screening for pregnant women, and that the Arkansas Medicaid Program shall reimburse for depression screening of a pregnant woman (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes the Department of Human Services to apply for any federal waiver, Medicaid state plan amendments, or other authority necessary to implement this section (Sec. 3).

• Establishes coverage of prenatal, delivery, and postpartum services, and states that the Arkansas Medicaid program shall reimburse for prenatal, delivery, and postpartum services separately instead of a global payment or an all-inclusive payment methodology for maternity services (Sec. 3)

• Specifies PRenatal, delivery, and postpartum services to include the following (Sec. 3):

• Office visits;

• Laboratory fees;

• The physician ordered testing;

• Blood work;

• Remote monitoring;

• Fetal nonstress tests; and

• Continuous glucose monitors or other services for gestational diabetes when medically necessary.

• Specifies that the Arkansas Medicaid Program shall make presumptive eligibility determinations for pregnant women who are applying for the program to improve access to prenatal care and allow prenatal care to be delivered immediately while waiting for a full application to be processed (Sec. 3).

• Authorities the program to designate one or more qualified entities to screen for eligibility and immediately enroll pregnant women into the program (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes blood pressure monitoring for pregnant and postpartum women, and specifies that the Arkansas Medicaid Program shall provide coverage and reimbursement for it. (Sec. 3).

• Specifies Self-measurement blood pressure monitoring services shall include the following (Sec.3):

• Validated blood pressure monitoring devices, such as a blood pressure cuff and replacement cuffs, as medically necessary, to diagnose or treat hypertension;

• Patient education and training on the set-up and use of a self-measurement blood pressure measurement device that is validated for clinical accuracy, device calibration, and the procedure for obtaining self-measurement readings; and

• Collection of data reports by the patient or caregiver for submission to a healthcare provider to communicate blood pressure readings and create or modify treatment plans.

• Authorizes reimbursement for remote ultrasound procedures, and specifies the Arkansas Medicaid Program shall reimburse for medically necessary remote ultrasound procedures utilizing established Current Procedural Terminology codes for remote ultrasound procedures when the patient is in a residence or other off-site location from the healthcare provider of the patient and the same standard of care is met (Sec. 3). 

• Specifies that the remote ultrasound procedure shall be reimbursable when the healthcare provider uses digital technology that meets the following (Sec. 3):

• Collects medical and other forms of health data from a patient and electronically transmits the information securely to a healthcare provider in a different location for interpretation and recommendation;

• Is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. § 1320d et seq., as it existed on January 1, 2025; and

• Is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. 

• Authorizes coverage for certain services provided by doulas and community health workers (Sec. 3).

• Specifies if an alleged medical injury occurs during childbirth, the minor or his or her representative shall have until the minor’s fifth birthday to commence an action (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text