Medical providers and medical malpractice insurers; prohibit consent to arbitration as a condition for care or insurance.

HB 552 prohibits medical providers (like doctors, hospitals, and nurse practitioners) and medical malpractice insurers from requiring patients or healthcare providers to agree to arbitration as a condition for receiving medical care or insurance coverage. The bill bans providers from denying care or insurers from withholding coverage based on mandatory arbitration agreements, with penalties including license suspension for providers and insurance violations for insurers. It amends Mississippi law to explicitly define this practice as unfair or deceptive, aligning with existing insurance regulations. The bill would have directly affected patients seeking care, healthcare providers, and medical insurance companies in Mississippi.