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 any opioid or narcotic drug is preferred, and imposing more restrictive utilization controls on nonopioid pain drugs than those applied to opioids or narcotics.

The bill aims to promote the use of nonopioid pain management options by ensuring equitable coverage and preventing discriminatory practices in the approval and utilization of these medications. The effective date for this legislation is set for July 1, 2025.