2026 Policy Agenda

Arkansas has a significant pool of highly trained healthcare professionals — nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other allied health providers — who are legally constrained from practicing to the full extent of their education and licensure. Outdated scope of practice laws, often designed to protect competitive interests rather than patient safety, limit the number of available providers and drive up the cost of care. AFP Arkansas supports scope of practice reforms that align legal authority with professional training, enabling qualified providers to deliver more services independently and expanding access to care — particularly in the rural and underserved communities that need it most.