(a) Every accident and health insurer, hospital or medical service corporation, or health maintenance organization transacting accident and health insurance or providing health coverage in the State of Arkansas, which delivers or issues for delivery or renews, extends, or modifies accident and medical coverage on an expense-incurred service or prepaid basis, shall provide coverage for the necessary care and treatment of loss or impairment of speech or hearing, subject to the same durational limits, dollar limits, deductibles, and coinsurance factors as other covered services in the policies or contracts.
(b) This section does not apply to disability income, specified disease, hospital indemnity, or accident-only policies.
(c) The phrase “loss or impairment of speech or hearing” shall include those communicative disorders generally treated by a speech pathologist or audiologist licensed by the Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and which fall within the scope of his or her area of certification.
(d) The additional coverage provided for in this section shall not apply to hearing instruments or devices.
Structure Arkansas Code
Title 23 - Public Utilities and Regulated Industries
Chapter 79 - Insurance Policies Generally
Subchapter 1 - General Provisions
§ 23-79-103. Insurable interest — Personal insurance
§ 23-79-104. Insurable interest — Property
§ 23-79-105. Application required — Life and accident and health insurance
§ 23-79-106. Application — Use as evidence — Alteration
§ 23-79-107. Application — Statements as representations
§ 23-79-108. Return of premium to rejected applicant
§ 23-79-109. Filing and approval of forms — Definitions
§ 23-79-110. Forms and premium rates — Grounds for disapproval — Definitions
§ 23-79-111. Standard provisions
§ 23-79-113. Charter or bylaw provisions excluded — Exception
§ 23-79-117. Underwriters' and combination policies
§ 23-79-118. Noncomplying forms
§ 23-79-119. Construction of policies
§ 23-79-121. Delivery of policy
§ 23-79-122. Negotiability of premium notes
§ 23-79-123. Renewal by certificate
§ 23-79-125. Payment by insurer — Discharge
§ 23-79-126. Forms for proof of loss
§ 23-79-127. Claims administration by insurer not waiver
§ 23-79-128. Right to insure spouse's life
§ 23-79-129. Coverage of newborn infants
§ 23-79-130. Impairment of speech or hearing
§ 23-79-131. Exemption of proceeds — Life insurance
§ 23-79-132. Exemption of proceeds — Group life
§ 23-79-133. Exemption of proceeds — Accident and health insurance
§ 23-79-134. Exemption of proceeds — Annuity contracts — Assignability of rights
§ 23-79-135. Prompt payment of certain claims required
§ 23-79-136. Agreement for insurer to invest premium prohibited
§ 23-79-137. Coverage for adopted minors
§ 23-79-138. Information to accompany policies
§ 23-79-139. Benefits for alcohol or drug dependency treatment — Definition
§ 23-79-140. Mammograms — Breast ultrasounds — Definitions
§ 23-79-141. Children's Preventive Health Care Act
§ 23-79-142. Payment for services of psychological examiners
§ 23-79-144. Minor children — Certain provisions denying or restricting coverage void
§ 23-79-146. Subrogation recovery
§ 23-79-147. Prescription medication — Definitions
§ 23-79-148. Medical transportation services
§ 23-79-149. Prescription drug benefits
§ 23-79-150. Healthcare plan — Health carrier — Definitions
§ 23-79-151. Liability insurance — Notice requirements prior to expiration of policy
§ 23-79-153. Health insurance — Closing a block of business
§ 23-79-154. Reimbursement for physician assistant services
§ 23-79-155. Commercial general liability insurance
§ 23-79-156. Health insurance exchange — Coverage of abortions prohibited — Definitions — Findings
§ 23-79-158. Denials of dental claims
§ 23-79-159. Notification of drug formulary changes
§ 23-79-160. Health insurance information regarding Health Care Independence Program
§ 23-79-161. Payment for oral anticancer medications — Definitions