TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR SEVERE OBESITY TREATMENTS.
HB 1424, now Act 628, mandates insurance coverage for severe obesity treatments, directly affecting insurance providers and individuals seeking such care. It requires coverage for specific bariatric surgeries, including revision surgeries for complications, along with preoperative and postoperative care like exercise and counseling. To qualify for coverage, a healthcare provider must issue a written order attesting to medical necessity based on established standards. Additionally, the covered person must affirm participation in a weight loss program and completion of necessary medical and mental health evaluations and education.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Feb 6, 2025
Signed Apr 16, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Act 628
→
HB 1424
·
4 edits
MODERATE
This bill amends the definition of 'health benefit plan' in Arkansas law to clarify which insurance products are excluded from the definition. The changes reorganize the list of excluded plans and add a new exclusion for nonfederal governmental plans, while removing the previous exclusion for plans providing only hospital confinement indemnity.
Scope change
The scope of the bill's definition of 'health benefit plan' was modified to include a new exclusion for nonfederal governmental plans and remove the exclusion for hospital confinement indemnity plans.
DEFINITION
The definition of 'health benefit plan' was reorganized and modified to clarify which insurance products are excluded from the definition.
Added a new exclusion for nonfederal governmental plans as defined in 29 U.S.C. § 1002(32) as it existed on January 1, 2025.
Removed the exclusion for plans that provide only indemnity for hospital confinement from the list of excluded health benefit plans.
TECHNICAL
Reordered and renumbered the list of excluded plans from items (i) through (xi) to improve clarity and organization.
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
24
Key actions
9
Committee
5
Amendments
1
Apr 16, 2025
Signed into law
Notification that HB1424 is now Act 628
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate amendment # 1 read and concurred in.
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it do pass, concur in Senate Amendment No. 1
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Committee
Re-referred to the Committee on INSURANCE & COMMERCE- HOUSE
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
Returned from Senate as passed, as amended # 1
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
Returned to the House as passed as amended # 1 .
upper
Apr 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read the third time and passed.
upper
Apr 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
upper
Apr 1, 2025
Committee
Re-referred to INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE
upper
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Returned by the Committee Do Pass
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Introduced
Amendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Introduced
Filed
lower
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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