So Arkansans Can Move
Thanks to the tireless efforts of So Every BODY Can Move advocates, Arkansans living with limb loss and limb difference now have access to prosthetic care for physical activity and exercise! HB-1252 was signed into law on April 13, 2023 and went into effect on July 1, 2023. Help us get the word out and maximize the positive impact of this new law for the disability community in Arkansas.
ENACTED
Arkansas HB-1252
Bill Number:
Status:
Enacted
Date Signed Into Law:
4/13/2023
Date Law Goes Into Effect:
7/1/2023
Insurance Plans Affected:
State Commercial Plans
Age Group:
All Ages
Types of Devices Covered:
Prostheses
State Lead:
Francois Van Der Watt, CPO
Primary Bill Sponsors:
Rep. Lee Johnson, Sen. Missy Irvin
State Lead
Owner, Prosthetist-Orthotist, Van Der Watt Prosthetics & Orthotics
Primary Bill Sponsor
At a Glance
Arkansas Statistics
Physical activity is one of the most important factors in maintaining overall health throughout one’s lifetime. Whether it’s vigorous exercise or simple day-to-day movement, being physically active increases strength and balance, improves mental health, supports better-quality sleep, and reduces the risk of disease and cancer for every body, including people with disabilities.
4.5X
American College of Sports Medicine, Why We Must Prioritize Equitable Access to Physical Activity for Children with Disabilities
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1 in 2
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Inactivity Related to Chronic Disease in Adults with Disabilities
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2X
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Disability and Obesity
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60 / 150 Mins
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition
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$44 Billion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Disability and Obesity
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“F”
Physical Activity Alliance, The 2022 United States Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Click Here
Prior to the enactment of HB-1252, the majority of Arkansans with limb loss, limb difference, and mobility impairment faced difficulties in obtaining affordable and accessible prosthetic care for physical activities, exercise, and showering and bathing because state, federal, and private health plans deem this care “not medically necessary.”
Without health plan coverage, adults, children, and families are forced to:
HB-1252 will now ensure Arkansans with disabilities that are covered by state-regulated commercial insurance plans have access to all facets of society including physical activity and exercise, as well as proper support for showering and bathing, through appropriate prosthetic coverage. Help us get the word out and maximize the positive impact of this new law for the disability community in Arkansas!
This bill amends Arkansas’ previous prosthetic coverage law (enacted in 2009) so state-regulated commercial insurance plans are required to cover an additional prosthetic device necessary for physical activity and one for showering and bathing.
A Fiscal Impact Statement completed by the state showed the additional cost of covering prosthetic devices for athletics and recreation and prosthetic devices for showering or bathing would be immaterial, while the long-term social and fiscal benefits to having access for Arkansans with limb loss or limb difference is immeasurable. This law greatly improves health equity for people with disabilities in Arkansas.
Coalition Support
Arkansas State Orthotics & Prosthetics Association
Amputee Coalition
American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA)
National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP)
The American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP)
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We believe movement is medicine and physical activity is a right, not a privilege.
Do you believe in the rights of the disability community?
Join us in this movement!
