Ark. Code § 23-79-2702

Current with legislation from 2024 Fiscal and Special Sessions.

Section 23-79-2702 - Definitions

As used in this subchapter:

(1) "911 call" means a communication made on behalf of an enrollee indicating that the enrollee may need emergency medical services;

(2)

(A) "Alternative destination" means a lower-acuity facility that provides medical services, including without limitation:

(i) A federally qualified health center;

(ii) An urgent care center;

(iii) A physician's office or medical clinic, as chosen by the patient; and

(iv) A behavioral or mental healthcare facility.

(B) "Alternative destination" does not include a:

(i) Critical access hospital;

(ii) Dialysis center;

(iii) Hospital;

(iv) Private residence; or

(v) Skilled nursing facility;

(3) "Ambulance service" means an entity that provides transportation and emergency medical services to a patient and is:

(A) Licensed to service a designated area in this state through a basic 911 system under the Arkansas Public Safety Communications and Next Generation 911 Act of 2019, § 12-10-301 et seq.;

(B) Authorized and licensed by the Department of Health to provide care and transportation of patients upon the streets and highways of Arkansas; and

(C) Licensed under the Ambulance Licensing Act, § 14-266-101 et seq.;

(4) "Enrollee" means an individual who has been enrolled in a health benefit plan;

(5)

(A) "Health benefit plan" means:

(i) An individual, blanket, or group plan, policy, or contract for healthcare services issued or delivered by a healthcare insurer in this state; and

(ii) Any health benefit program receiving state or federal appropriations from the State of Arkansas, including the Arkansas Medicaid Program and the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Program, or any successor program.

(B) "Health benefit plan" includes:

(i) Indemnity and managed care plans; and

(ii) Nonfederal governmental plans as defined in 29 U.S.C. § 1002(32), as it existed on January 1, 2024.

(C) "Health benefit plan" does not include:

(i) A disability income plan;

(ii) A credit insurance plan;

(iii) Insurance coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance;

(iv) A medical payment under automobile or homeowners insurance plans;

(v) A health benefit plan provided under Arkansas Constitution, Article 5, § 32, the Workers' Compensation Law, § 11-9-101 et seq., or the Public Employee Workers' Compensation Act, § 21-5-601 et seq.;

(vi) A plan that provides only indemnity for hospital confinement;

(vii) An accident-only plan;

(viii) A specified disease plan;

(ix) A long-term-care-only plan;

(x) A dental-only plan; or

(xi) A vision-only plan;

(6) "Healthcare insurer" means an entity subject to the insurance laws of this state or the jurisdiction of the Insurance Commissioner that contracts or offers to contract to provide health insurance coverage, including without limitation an insurance company, a health maintenance organization, a hospital medical service corporation, a self-insured governmental or church plan in this state, or the Arkansas Medicaid Program;

(7) "Local government" includes:

(A) A county;

(B) A city of the first class or a city of the second class; or

(C) An incorporated town; and

(8)

(A) "Telemedicine" means the use of audiovisual electronic information and communication technology to deliver healthcare services, including without limitation the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient.

(B) "Telemedicine" includes store-and-forward technology and remote patient monitoring.

(C) "Telemedicine" does not include the use of audio-only electronic technology.

Ark. Code § 23-79-2702

Added by Act 2023, No. 480,§ 2, eff. 8/1/2023.