House Bill No. 1808 aims to enhance the regulation of health insurance practices related to prescription drugs in Oklahoma. The bill introduces new definitions and establishes enforcement mechanisms by the Attorney General, along with rules for step-therapy protocols and prior authorization requests. It mandates that health benefit plans using step-therapy protocols must not require patients to fail on the same medication more than once and must grant exceptions under specific conditions, such as contraindications or previous ineffective treatments. Additionally, the bill stipulates that prior authorization requests must be addressed within set timeframes, and if not responded to, are deemed approved.

The legislation also includes provisions to ensure that health plans cover at least one readily available asthma controller medication from each class without prior authorization. It empowers the Insurance Department to create rules that limit prior authorization requirements for generic medications and treatments with low denial rates. Violations of these provisions can result in civil fines. The act is set to take effect on November 1, 2025, and is designed to reduce administrative burdens on healthcare providers while ensuring patient access to necessary medications.