TO ADD DEFINITIONS TO THE MEDICAID FAIRNESS ACT TO ENSURE THAT ALL RULE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS ARE APPEALABLE.

HB 1172 would have amended Arkansas' Medicaid Fairness Act to ensure Medicaid providers can appeal enforcement actions by the state. It added definitions clarifying that "enforcement action" includes any decision affecting a provider's compliance with Medicaid rules and required that adverse actions (including those with direct monetary consequences) follow specific appeal procedures. Key provisions mandated 48 hours' notice for routine monitoring visits, required agencies to rule on reconsideration requests within 30 days (with violations automatically vacated if not decided on time), and allowed administrative appeals after reconsideration denial. The bill was withdrawn by its author on February 20, 2025, and did not become law.