State Kidney Disease Advisory Council — Creation — Members.
Ark. Code Ann. § 20-15-602
in effect(a)(1) There is established a State Kidney Disease Advisory Council to consist of seven (7) members.
(2) Seven (7) members shall be appointed by the State Board of Health as follows:
(A) Three (3) members who are knowledgeable in renal medicine and the treatment of end-stage renal disease shall be physicians licensed to practice in Arkansas who are actively engaged in the private practice of medicine in this state;
(B) One (1) member who is knowledgeable in renal medicine and the treatment of end-stage renal disease shall be a physician licensed in Arkansas who is engaged primarily in the institutional practice of medicine;
(C) One (1) member shall be engaged in hospital administrative activities;
(D) One (1) member shall be named from the public at large, but he or she shall be an individual who has a demonstrated interest in the treatment and cure of renal diseases and may be a representative from an Arkansas-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the treatment and cure of renal diseases; and
(E) One (1) member who shall represent the elderly shall be sixty (60) years of age or older and shall be appointed from the state at large. The member shall not be actively engaged in or retired from any profession, occupation, or industry which is regulated pursuant to this subchapter.
(b) Members shall be appointed for four-year terms to expire on January 14 of the members' fourth year of the appointed term. Members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified.
(c) If a vacancy occurs on the advisory council due to death, resignation, or other cause, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the State Board of Health of a person eligible for the initial appointment, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, for the remainder of the unexpired portion of the term of the member.
(d) The advisory council shall annually elect one (1) of its members as chair and one (1) of its members as vice chair and such other officers as the advisory council deems necessary.
(e) The advisory council may meet as necessary, as determined by the chair of the advisory council, and shall meet at least one (1) time each calendar year and at such other times as may be designated by the advisory council's rules or upon call by the Chair of the State Kidney Disease Advisory Council or upon written request of any three (3) members.
(f) Members shall serve without pay but may receive expense reimbursement in accordance with § 25-16-901 et seq.
(g) Members shall qualify by taking the oath of office as prescribed by law.
(h) A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of the current appointed members of the advisory council.
20-15-603. Department of Health — Powers and duties.
(a) The Department of Health, in consultation with the State Kidney Disease Advisory Council, shall :
(1)(A)(i) Administer a program to assist persons suffering from acute or chronic renal failure in obtaining care and treatment requiring kidney dialysis or transplantation.
(ii) Services to assist persons requiring transplantation may include dental services necessary for consideration for transplantation and the copayment of immunosuppressant drugs post transplantation.
(B) The program shall provide financial assistance for persons suffering from chronic renal diseases who require life-saving care and treatment for the renal disease to the extent as determined by the Department of Health that a person is unable to pay for the services on a continuing basis without causing unjust and unusual hardship to himself or herself and his or her immediate family including without limitation a drastic lowering of the standard of living;
(2) Develop rules for determining eligibility for assistance in defraying the cost of care and treatment of renal disease under this program, to be recommended for adoption by the State Board of Health;
(3) Cooperate with hospitals, private groups, and organizations and public agencies in the development of positive programs to bring about financial assistance and support of evaluation and treatment of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease;
(4) Cooperate with the national and state kidney foundations and with medical programs of the state and the United States Government for the purpose of obtaining the maximum amount of federal and private assistance possible in support of a kidney disease treatment program;
(5) Establish rules for evaluating the financial ability of persons suffering from chronic kidney disease to pay for their own care, including the availability of third-party insurance coverage, for the purpose of establishing rules for eligibility for financial assistance in defraying the cost of the care and treatment from funds appropriated to the advisory council for renal disease treatment purposes;
(6) Accept grantsfrom private sources and the United States Government and support from municipal and county governments to be used for the purposes of this subchapter in defraying costs incurred by persons suffering from acute or chronic renal disease who are unable to meet the total cost of life-saving care and treatment for renal disease; and
(7) Accept grants from private sources and the United States Government and support from municipal and county governments to be used to honor persons who have provided living kidney donations to Arkansans in need of kidney transplantation.
(b) Whereas the current Department of Finance and Administration accounting system will accept current-year refunds, credit the current-year appropriation, and allow expenditure of the funds, the advisory council, administered by the Department of Health, may accept prior-year refunds and contributions and deposit the funds into the agency cash fund in an account specifically identified as the State Kidney Disease Escrow Account and disbursed for the purchase of additional services for clients served by the advisory council.
20-15-605. Disbursement of funds.
(a)(1) The Secretary of the Department of Health shall be the disbursing officer of funds appropriated by the General Assembly and of other funds made available to the Department of Health for such purposes.
(2) These funds are to provide monetary assistance to defray the cost incurred by patients suffering from acute or chronic renal disease who are unable to meet the total cost of their care or treatment from their own resources or from third-party resources.
(b) The secretary shall be governed by the rules adopted by the State Board of Health and promulgated by the department under the Arkansas Administrative Procedure Act, § 25-15-201 et seq., in disbursing funds appropriated, or otherwise made available, to the advisory council for renal disease treatment purposes.
Source: Arkansas General Assembly, Acts of 2021-2026 (arkleg.state.ar.us)URL: https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=852.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025RFetched: 11/8/2026