(1) Health carriers shall not require physicians, pharmacists, or other persons or entities to disclose a physician's Drug Enforcement Administration registry number for the purposes of identification, payment to a pharmacist, reimbursement of a patient, or any other reason.
(2) “Health carrier” means any insurance company or health maintenance organization subject to the following laws: The Arkansas Insurance Code;
(3) Section 23-76-101 et seq., pertaining to health maintenance organizations; and
(4) Any successor laws of the foregoing.
(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a health carrier, as part of the credentialing process, from requesting evidence that the physician has a valid Drug Enforcement Administration certificate.