Members of Arkansas' Health Reform Legislative Task Force were asked to begin the final scrutiny process Tuesday for a series of independent recommendations on reforming the state's Medicaid program.
Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, the chairman of the task force, said a final report by lawmakers and Gov. Asa Hutchinson is expected in December.
A meeting among lawmakers on the task force next month will be "the last opportunity we are going to have without putting ourselves in a time crunch," Collins said.
The task force was formed by Hutchinson earlier this year to to examine reforms to the state's private-option Medicaid expansion as well as aspects of the traditional Medicaid program.
Task force consultant The Stephen Group of Manchester, N.H. has made recommendations including a proposal to allow managed-care companies to provide benefits from the Medicaid program. Hutchinson has said he supports managed-care companies only for "high cost populations" such as the elderly and disabled.
On Tuesday, the Stephen Group also presented a new series of recommendations requested by members of the task force on how to increase vaccination rates in Arkansas.
Arkansas could do so by making changes to how the state reimburses providers, specifically offering an administration fee separate from coverage of the ingredient cost of the vaccine, the report said.
Rep. Michelle Gray, R-Melbourne, also suggested the state require reporting of vaccinations by providers in order to get a more accurate picture of adult vaccination rates.