{"data":{"id":"us-ar/ark.-code-ann.-23-66-215","jurisdiction":"us-ar","citation":"Ark. Code Ann. § 23-66-215","heading":"Penalty for late payment of claims by health carriers - Definitions","body":"(a) (1) A health carrier shall pay a penalty of twelve percent (12%) per annum for late payment of claims under a health insurance contract pursuant to rules promulgated by the Insurance Commissioner, without necessity for demand for payment by a claimant. (2) Hiring a third-party administrator or other person to process claims shall not relieve a health carrier of its obligation to pay this penalty. (b) For purposes of this section: (1) \"Claimant\" means a person insured or covered by a health carrier, a provider holding a valid assignment from a person insured or covered by a health carrier, or a provider contracted with a health carrier, who is claiming a benefit under a health insurance contract; (2) (A) \"Health carrier\" means a health maintenance organization, hospital medical service corporation, or a disability insurance company. (B) \"Health carrier\" includes a self-insured governmental or church plan and third-party administrators that administer or adjust disability benefits for a disability insurer, hospital medical service corporation, health maintenance organization, self-insured governmental plan, or self-insured church plan. (C) \"Health carrier\" does not include: (i) An automobile insurer paying medical or hospital benefits under § 23-89-202(1) or a self-insured employer health benefits plan; or (ii) Any person, company, or organization licensed or registered to issue or who issues any insurance policy or insurance contract in this state as described in §§ 23-62-102 and 23-62-104 - 23-62-107 providing medical or hospital benefits for accidental injury or disability; and (3) (A) \"Health insurance contract\" means a disability insurance policy, a hospital medical service corporation contract, a health maintenance organization contract, or a plan document issued or provided by a health carrier. (B) \"Health insurance contract\" does not include a disability income insurance policy, a long-term care contract, a hospital indemnity contract, an accident-only contract, or any other form of disability insurance policy that provides a benefit as a result of a sickness or accident that does not directly cover expenses related to healthcare treatment. Amended by Act 2019, No. 315,§ 2664, eff. 7/24/2019. Acts 2001, No. 1454, § 1.\n\n(a) (1) A health carrier shall pay a penalty of twelve percent (12%) per annum for late payment of claims under a health insurance contract pursuant to rules promulgated by the Insurance Commissioner, without necessity for demand for payment by a claimant. (2) Hiring a third-party administrator or other person to process claims shall not relieve a health carrier of its obligation to pay this penalty.\n\n(1) A health carrier shall pay a penalty of twelve percent (12%) per annum for late payment of claims under a health insurance contract pursuant to rules promulgated by the Insurance Commissioner, without necessity for demand for payment by a claimant.\n\n(2) Hiring a third-party administrator or other person to process claims shall not relieve a health carrier of its obligation to pay this penalty.\n(1) A health carrier shall pay a penalty of twelve percent (12%) per annum for late payment of claims under a health insurance contract pursuant to rules promulgated by the Insurance Commissioner, without necessity for demand for payment by a claimant.\n\n(2) Hiring a third-party administrator or other person to process claims shall not relieve a health carrier of its obligation to pay this penalty.\n\n(b) For purposes of this section: (1) \"Claimant\" means a person insured or covered by a health carrier, a provider holding a valid assignment from a person insured or covered by a health carrier, or a provider contracted with a health carrier, who is claiming a benefit under a health insurance contract; (2) (A) \"Health carrier\" means a health maintenance organization, hospital medical service corporation, or a disability insurance company. (B) \"Health carrier\" includes a self-insured governmental or church plan and third-party administrators that administer or adjust disability benefits for a disability insurer, hospital medical service corporation, health maintenance organization, self-insured governmental plan, or self-insured church plan. (C) \"Health carrier\" does not include: (i) An automobile insurer paying medical or hospital benefits under § 23-89-202(1) or a self-insured employer health benefits plan; or (ii) Any person, company, or organization licensed or registered to issue or who issues any insurance policy or insurance contract in this state as described in §§ 23-62-102 and 23-62-104 - 23-62-107 providing medical or hospital benefits for accidental injury or disability; and (3) (A) \"Health insurance contract\" means a disability insurance policy, a hospital medical service corporation contract, a health maintenance organization contract, or a plan document issued or provided by a health carrier. (B) \"Health insurance contract\" does not include a disability income insurance policy, a long-term care contract, a hospital indemnity contract, an accident-only contract, or any other form of disability insurance policy that provides a benefit as a result of a sickness or accident that does not directly cover expenses related to healthcare treatment.\n\n(1) \"Claimant\" means a person insured or covered by a health carrier, a provider holding a valid assignment from a person insured or covered by a health carrier, or a provider contracted with a health carrier, who is claiming a benefit under a health insurance contract;\n\n(2) (A) \"Health carrier\" means a health maintenance organization, hospital medical service corporation, or a disability insurance company. (B) \"Health carrier\" includes a self-insured governmental or church plan and third-party administrators that administer or adjust disability benefits for a disability insurer, hospital medical service corporation, health maintenance organization, self-insured governmental plan, or self-insured church plan. (C) \"Health carrier\" does not include: (i) An automobile insurer paying medical or hospital benefits under § 23-89-202(1) or a self-insured employer health benefits plan; or (ii) Any person, company, or organization licensed or registered to issue or who issues any insurance policy or insurance contract in this state as described in §§ 23-62-102 and 23-62-104 - 23-62-107 providing medical or hospital benefits for accidental injury or disability; and\n\n(A) \"Health carrier\" means a health maintenance organization, hospital medical service corporation, or a disability insurance company.\n\n(B) \"Health carrier\" includes a self-insured governmental or church plan and third-party administrators that administer or adjust disability benefits for a disability insurer, hospital medical service corporation, health maintenance organization, self-insured governmental plan, or self-insured church plan.\nance organization, hospital medical service corporation, or a disability insurance company.\n\n(B) \"Health carrier\" includes a self-insured governmental or church plan and third-party administrators that administer or adjust disability benefits for a disability insurer, hospital medical service corporation, health maintenance organization, self-insured governmental plan, or self-insured church plan.\n\n(C) \"Health carrier\" does not include: (i) An automobile insurer paying medical or hospital benefits under § 23-89-202(1) or a self-insured employer health benefits plan; or (ii) Any person, company, or organization licensed or registered to issue or who issues any insurance policy or insurance contract in this state as described in §§ 23-62-102 and 23-62-104 - 23-62-107 providing medical or hospital benefits for accidental injury or disability; and\n\n(i) An automobile insurer paying medical or hospital benefits under § 23-89-202(1) or a self-insured employer health benefits plan; or\n\n(ii) Any person, company, or organization licensed or registered to issue or who issues any insurance policy or insurance contract in this state as described in §§ 23-62-102 and 23-62-104 - 23-62-107 providing medical or hospital benefits for accidental injury or disability; and\n\n(3) (A) \"Health insurance contract\" means a disability insurance policy, a hospital medical service corporation contract, a health maintenance organization contract, or a plan document issued or provided by a health carrier. (B) \"Health insurance contract\" does not include a disability income insurance policy, a long-term care contract, a hospital indemnity contract, an accident-only contract, or any other form of disability insurance policy that provides a benefit as a result of a sickness or accident that does not directly cover expenses related to healthcare treatment.\n\n(A) \"Health insurance contract\" means a disability insurance policy, a hospital medical service corporation contract, a health maintenance organization contract, or a plan document issued or provided by a health carrier.\n\n(B) \"Health insurance contract\" does not include a disability income insurance policy, a long-term care contract, a hospital indemnity contract, an accident-only contract, or any other form of disability insurance policy that provides a benefit as a result of a sickness or accident that does not directly cover expenses related to healthcare treatment.","path":["AR Code","Title 23","Chapter 66","Subchapter 2"],"source_url":"https://oss-data-us.vaquill.ai/v2026.08/us_ar_statutes.parquet","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:41Z","sha256":"fcb122736486b94c3284c5950fc3ae0615e40f52644ac95bd7876fd73160198e","source_id":"us-ar","stale":false,"prev":"us-ar/ark.-code-ann.-23-66-214","next":"us-ar/ark.-code-ann.-23-66-216"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}