Third-Party Administrators (hereafter “TPA”)
are governed by Commission Rule 38.
This Rule provides that companies engaging in the handling of
workers' compensation claims shall apply to, and be approved by,
the Commission to act as a TPA.
A company that desires to be an approved TPA shall make application
to the Commission on Form
TPA (Third-Party Administrator Application/Registration
Form). Such application shall be accompanied by a non-refundable
application fee in the amount of one-hundred dollars ($100.00)
payable to the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission.
A company making application with a desired effective date of
August 1 to September 30 shall pay the application fee; however,
it may, at the Commission's discretion, have the first annual
renewal fee waived.
The Commission will process renewals of the TPA authority
annually on September 1. There will be an annual renewal fee
of one-hundred dollars ($100.00) to be paid at the time of renewal.
The Commission will issue a Certificate of Authority to each
TPA company that has applied to, and been approved by the Commission.
The initial certificate shall be valid from the desired effective
date of approval to the next September 30. Renewal certificates
shall be valid for one year (October 1 to September 30 of the
following year).
All TPAs handling workers' compensation claims in Arkansas
MUST be registered and approved by the Commission. Under no
circumstances will an insurance carrier or self-insured employer
be allowed to designate a TPA that has failed to apply and be
approved by the Commission.
Additionally, if a TPA fails to renew its authority, the clients
of the TPA will be notified that the TPA does not have a valid
Certificate of Authority to function as a TPA for workers’ compensation
claims. This would require the clients (insurance carriers/self-insured
employers) to select a TPA that is approved by the Commission.
