TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING CERTAIN AUDITS OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS; AND TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS MEDICAL AUDIT BILL OF RIGHTS ACT.

HB 1314 creates the Arkansas Medical Audit Bill of Rights Act, directly affecting healthcare providers (excluding pharmacies) facing audits by state or federal agencies. The bill limits audits to either 50 claims or 0.25% of a provider’s annual claims, whichever is greater, and gives providers the choice to conduct audits on-site, electronically, or via the method used in the initial audit. It also clarifies that overpayments must be recouped only if corrected claims are paid on the same date, preventing retroactive penalties for minor billing errors. These changes aim to make audit processes more predictable and less burdensome for healthcare providers.