No doubt, 2015 is off and running! It is definitely an interesting time in the life of healthcare, but especially here in Arkansas.
The Arkansas 90th General Assembly convened on Monday, January 12 with a full head of steam. The current General Assembly is controlled by a Republican House, Senate and Administration for the first time since the reconstruction era. UAMS hosted on January 22 our newly elected Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) for his press conference outlining the future of healthcare here in Arkansas. In the overview we were encouraged with his mentioning of the importance of telehealth in helping to accomplish these objectives.
There are two big legislative items that the UAMS Center for Distance Health will be following closely this session. Arkansas is completely surrounded by other southern states who didn’t take the Medicaid Expansion part of the Affordable Care Act. Ours was modified to where the expansion was administered by private insurance companies, hence named the Private Option plan. Currently filed is SB 96, “To Create the Arkansas Health Reform Act of 2015”. Currently the bill as is would extend the Private Option plan through December 31, 2016. In SB 96 they have formed a task force to determine the date in 2017, as well as looking at ways to administer healthcare more efficiently which includes “optimized use of telemedicine”.
Running parallel with this bill is SB 133 to “Encourage the use of telemedicine, improve access to care and to authorize reimbursement and regulation of services provided through telemedicine”. We have worked very closely with our legislators to ensure with SB 133 the patients interest always comes first. We are encouraged with the Arkansas e-Link network that exists and in the current restructuring of healthcare this will be a great synergistic affect for our patients and providers across the state.
Arkansas continues to look to be a leader with telehealth, not only with this current legislation, but continuing to pioneer in the “what’s next” and not looking back.
Michael Manley, RNP, MNSc
AR SAVES Director
Director of Outreach
UAMS Center for Distance Health
