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Blue Cross, Centene tell Arkansas committee that drug costs and PBM disputes are driving rate pressure; providers press for QPA transparency
Summary
Blue Cross and Centene officials told the Senate committee rising prescription‑drug spending and medical claim trends are pushing 2025 rate increases, and they defended arbitration processes under the No Surprises Act while providers warned QPA opacity and arbitration delays harm out‑of‑network clinicians.
Representatives of Arkansas Blue Cross and Centene appeared before the Senate Insurance & Commerce Committee to discuss the No Surprises Act, arbitration processes and the drivers of rising health‑care costs in Arkansas, including a sharp increase in prescription‑drug spending.
Max Greenwood, senior representative for Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, summarized the federal No Surprises Act (NSA), saying it protects consumers from out‑of‑network balance billing in narrow situations (for example, when patients receive services from out‑of‑network clinicians during an in‑network facility visit). He explained the qualifying payment amount (QPA), open negotiation and the independent dispute resolution process:…
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