- (a) The purpose of this part is to require health benefit plans that are subject to Arkansas Code § 23-99-417 to update coverage for eligible charges for prosthetic and orthotic devices and services to no less than eighty percent (80%) of the Medicare allowable rates for such devices and services as of January 1 of each year in which the health benefit plan is issued or renewed.
- (b) The current statutory requirement in Arkansas Code § 23-99-417(a)(1) ties the coverage requirements for such devices and services to January 1, 2009, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare coverage amounts under its Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (CPT).
- (c) The Insurance Commissioner intends in this part to establish the requirement that such coverage at least equal eighty percent (80%) of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CPT allowable amounts as established by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as of January 1 of each year in which the health benefit plan is issued or renewed, rather than promulgating an amendment to this part each year to require the adjustment.