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Panel advances bill removing Medicaid referral requirement for APRNs after amendments
Summary
House Bill 12‑54, which would allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to be recognized as Medicaid primary care providers by removing a referral requirement, passed the committee after amendment to prevent APRNs from leading patient‑centered medical homes.
Representative Jeff Wardlaw presented House Bill 12‑54 to remove the Medicaid referral requirement that can limit advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) from being recognized as primary care providers. He said the bill’s core change is to allow APRNs to be recognized by Arkansas Medicaid without the prior referral requirement, and emphasized the sponsors had removed earlier scope‑of‑practice language and added an amendment prohibiting APRNs from heading patient‑centered medical homes.
"This bill gives them no more authority than they had today. It only removes the referral process to see a Medicaid patient," Wardlaw said in closing remarks; he told senators the House had already amended the bill to address concerns…
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