medicaid; dental benefit study committee

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide information about when it will take effect.

Medicaid Dental Benefit Study and Nurse Anesthetist Reimbursement

This bill establishes a committee to study expanding Medicaid dental benefits in Arizona and requires health insurers not to charge different rates for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) compared to doctors when issuing, amending or renewing contracts.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes the Medicaid Adult Comprehensive Dental Benefit Study Committee to evaluate the feasibility, cost, long-term fiscal impacts and public health outcomes associated with expanding Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System coverage to include comprehensive dental care.
• Requires health insurers not to charge different rates for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) compared to physicians when issuing, amending or renewing contracts.

Who It Names or Affects

• Health insurers in Arizona
• Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs)

Terms To Know

certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA)

A type of advanced practice registered nurse who can administer anesthesia under the direction of a doctor.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify when it will take effect.
• It is unclear how the study committee's findings will be used or implemented.

Official Summary Text

SB1372 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
HHS���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� AS
PASSED BY HOUSE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1372

medicaid;
dental benefit study committee

(
NOW: hospital;
nurse anesthetist; subscription contract
)

As passed by the
Senate, S.B. 1372 established the Medicaid Adult Comprehensive Dental Benefit
Study Committee to evaluate the feasibility, cost, long-term fiscal impacts and
public health outcomes associated with expanding Arizona Health Care Cost Containment
System coverage to include comprehensive dental care.

The House of
Representatives adopted a strike-everything amendment that does the following:

Purpose

Prohibits a
health insurer that issues, amends or renews a subscription contract from
imposing a reimbursement rate for a certified registered nurse anesthetist
(CRNA) that differs from the reimbursement rate for a physician.

Background

The Department
of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) regulates policies,
certificates, evidences of coverage and contracts of insurance (insurance
policies) issued or delivered by insurers. Every insurer that offers individual
health insurance coverage in the individual market in Arizona must provide
guaranteed availability of coverage to eligible individuals who desire to
enroll in individual health insurance coverage (
A.R.S.
� 20-1379
).

A CRNA is an
advanced practice registered nurse who is authorized to administer anesthetics
under the direction of and in the presence of a physician or surgeon under
specified circumstances. A CRNA may issue medication orders, assess a patient's
risk of anesthetic treatment, obtain informed consent, order and evaluate laboratory
tests and diagnostic imaging, develop and implement anesthetic care plans, respond
to emergency situations and perform therapeutic procedures (
A.R.S.
� 32-1634.04
).

If limiting a health insurer's ability to
reimburse CRNAs at a different rate than physicians changes reimbursement
amounts for services covered under the state health plan, there may be a fiscal
impact to the state General Fund.

Provisions

1.

Prohibits a health insurer that issues, amends or renews a subscription
contract from imposing a reimbursement rate for a CRNA that differs from the
reimbursement rate for a licensed medical or osteopathic physician.

2.

Specifies that a health insurer is not prevented from establishing
variable reimbursement rates that are based on quality or performance-based
measures.

3.

Specifies that the reimbursement rate restriction does not apply to a CRNA
who is employed by a practice that is owned by private equity.

4.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by the
House of Representatives

�

Adopted the strike-everything amendment relating to CRNA
reimbursement rates.

Senate Action
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House
Action

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Prepared by Senate Research

April 9, 2026

MM/MS/hk

Current Bill Text

SB1372 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed
Senate Bill

medicaid;
dental benefit study committee

(now: hospital;
nurse anesthetist; subscription contract)

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1372

AN
ACT

amending title 20, chapter 4, article 3,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 20-841.14; amending title 20,
chapter 4, article 9, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 20-1057.21;
amending title 20, chapter 6, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding
section 20-1376.11; amending title 20, chapter 6, article 5, Arizona
Revised Statutes, by adding section 20-1406.11; relating to registered
nurse anesthetists.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 20, chapter 4, article 3,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 20-841.14, to read:

START_STATUTE
20-841.14.

Certified registered nurse anesthetist; reimbursement rate;
applicability

A. A hospital service corporation or
medical service corporation that issues, amends or renews a subscription
contract on or after the effective date of this section may not impose a
reimbursement rate for a certified registered nurse anesthetist who is
authorized to perform services pursuant to section 32-1634.04 that
differs from the reimbursement rate for a physician who is licensed pursuant to
title 32, chapter 13 or 17.

B. This section does not prevent a
hospital service corporation or medical service corporation from establishing
variable reimbursement rates that are based on quality or performance-based
measures.

C. This section does not apply to a
certified registered nurse anesthetist who is employed by a practice that is
owned by private equity.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Title 20, chapter 4, article 9, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 20-1057.21, to read:

START_STATUTE
20-1057.21.

Certified registered nurse anesthetist; reimbursement rate;
applicability

A. A health care services
organization that issues, amends or renews an evidence of coverage on or after
the effective date of this section may not impose a reimbursement rate for a
certified registered nurse anesthetist who is authorized to perform services
pursuant to section 32-1634.04 that differs from the reimbursement rate
for a physician who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17.

B. This section does not prevent a
health care services organization from establishing variable reimbursement
rates that are based on quality or performance-based measures.

C. This section does not apply to a
certified registered nurse anesthetist who is employed by a practice that is
owned by private equity.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Title 20, chapter 6, article 4, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 20-1376.11, to read:

START_STATUTE
20-1376.11.

Certified registered nurse anesthetist; reimbursement rate;
applicability

A. A disability insurer that issues,
amends or renews a policy on or after the effective date of this section may
not impose a reimbursement rate for a certified registered nurse anesthetist
who is authorized to perform services pursuant to section 32-1634.04 that
differs from the reimbursement rate for a physician who is licensed pursuant to
title 32, chapter 13 or 17.

B. This section does not prevent a
disability insurer from establishing variable reimbursement rates that are
based on quality or performance-based measures.

C. This section does not apply to a
certified registered nurse anesthetist who is employed by a practice that is
owned by private equity.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 4. Title
20, chapter 6, article 5, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
section 20-1406.11, to read:

START_STATUTE
20-1406.11.

Certified
registered nurse anesthetist; reimbursement rate; applicability

A. A group or blanket disability insurer that issues,
amends or renews a policy on or after the effective date of this section may
not impose a reimbursement rate for a certified registered nurse anesthetist
who is authorized to perform services pursuant to section 32-1634.04 that
differs from the reimbursement rate for a physician who is licensed pursuant to
title 32, chapter 13 or 17.

B. This section does not prevent a
group or blanket disability insurer from establishing variable reimbursement
rates that are based on quality or performance-based measures.

C. This section does not apply to a
certified registered nurse anesthetist who is employed by a practice that is
owned by private equity.
END_STATUTE