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Committee advances bill to require coverage standards for advanced breast reconstruction
Summary
Senate Bill 83 would require insurers to cover microsurgical ‘deep flap’ breast reconstructions at reimbursement levels that proponents say would keep the procedures in state and in-network.
Senate Bill 83 drew lengthy testimony from surgeons, practice managers and several breast cancer survivors describing barriers Arkansans face getting what proponents called the clinical "gold standard" for breast reconstruction after mastectomy.
Sen. Joshua Bridal (Senate District 32) introduced the bill and said it was prompted by constituent cases in which coding and reimbursement changes left in‑state surgeons unable to get in‑network coverage for advanced microsurgical reconstruction — procedures that proponents said take many hours in the operating room and require multi‑day hospital stays.
"This bill will allow standardized reconstruction for…
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