This bill establishes new provisions in Florida law regarding the coverage of prescription drugs for pain management, specifically focusing on nonopioid pain drugs. It creates two new sections, 409.9064 and 409.9746, which define "nonopioid pain drug" as a nonopioid medication approved by the FDA for pain treatment. The bill mandates that both the Medicaid program and Medicaid managed care plans must ensure that nonopioid pain drugs are not disadvantaged compared to opioid or narcotic drugs. It outlines prohibited practices, such as designating nonopioid pain drugs as nonpreferred if opioids are preferred, and imposing more restrictive utilization controls on nonopioid drugs than those applied to opioids.

The bill aims to promote the use of nonopioid pain management options by preventing discriminatory practices in their coverage. It specifies that any restrictions or prior authorization requirements for nonopioid pain drugs must not be more stringent than those for opioid medications used for the same conditions. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.