NOTICE OF
SECOND PUBLIC HEARING
The Arkansas Insurance Department will host a Public Hearing on June 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in the Diamond Mine Hearing Room in the Arkansas Department of Commerce Building, One Commerce Way, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202. The Arkansas Insurance Commissioner is considering additional revisions to proposed amended Rule 23 CAR pt 142, “Vision Care Plan Coverage,” to comply with Act 142 of 2025.
Under the new revisions, a reimbursement paid by an insurer, vision benefit manager, vision care plan, or vision care discount plan to a vision care provider for covered services shall not be less than the current calendar year Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rate. The new amendments also describe the applicable Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rate. Finally, the new changes provide that if there is no corresponding reimbursement rate in the current year’s published Medical Physician Fee Schedule for a covered service, reimbursement that is greater than or equal to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for the most similar service, regardless of whether the service is eligible for Medicare coverage, shall not be considered a violation.
Other changes in the proposed amended rule are as described in the original notice.
All interested persons are encouraged to attend the Public Hearing and present, orally or in writing, any statements, arguments, or opinions on proposed amended Rule 23 CAR pt 142. Any written or oral comments regarding proposed amended Rule 23 CAR pt 142 will be accepted from now until 12:00 pm, June 12, 2026. The Legal Division requests that persons who plan to testify at the hearing notify the Legal Division as soon as possible and submit intended statements in writing in advance of the hearing via email at insurance.legal@arkansas.gov. Copies of the proposed amended rule may be obtained by calling the Arkansas Insurance Department at 501-371-2820 or by visiting: https://insurance.arkansas.gov/industry-regulation/legal/proposed-rules/
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