This bill aims to enhance health insurance coverage for nonopioid prescription drugs used in the treatment of pain. It prohibits health insurers from requiring cost-sharing for nonopioid medications or offering less favorable coverage compared to opioid or narcotic drugs. Specifically, when a prescriber recommends a nonopioid drug for acute pain, insurers cannot deny coverage in favor of opioids or mandate that patients try opioids before covering nonopioid options. Additionally, insurers must ensure that nonopioid drugs approved by the FDA for pain management are not disadvantaged in terms of coverage or cost-sharing compared to opioids.

The legislation also outlines that health insurers must not impose more restrictive coverage criteria or utilization controls on nonopioid drugs than those applied to opioids. This includes avoiding higher cost-sharing tiers for nonopioid drugs compared to opioids. However, the bill clarifies that it does not prevent insurers from favoring certain opioid drugs over others or nonopioid drugs over other nonopioid options. The act will take effect upon its publication in the statute book.