Act 1066 of 1995 created the Arkansas State Medical Board’s Centralized Credentials Verification Service (CCVS). Arkansas was first in the nation to base a Centralized Credentials Verification Service within the licensing agency. State law allows the Arkansas State Medical Board to release, with a practitioner’s written authorization, verification of credentials as needed by credentialing/healthcare organizations. Information furnished by the Medical Board to a credentialing/healthcare organization shall be used solely for the purpose of verifying, issuing, and renewing credentials.

Act 1410 of 1999 replaced Act 1066. The act mandates that credentialing/healthcare organizations, along with physicians, utilize the CCVS program. However, this mandate will not be effective until the program:

receives certification by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a certified credentials’ verification organization (CVO);

demonstrates compliance with the principles for credentials verification organizations set forth by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; and

documents compliance with the Arkansas Department of Health Rules and Regulations applicable to credentialing.