Bill > HB877

This bill adds a new section to Missouri insurance law that restricts health carriers and health benefit plans from requiring enrollees to switch prescribed drugs without explicit approval from their healthcare provider. Specifically, starting January 1, 2026, health insurance plans cannot mandate that an enrollee take a different drug than what their healthcare provider originally prescribed unless the provider gives written approval and the drug change is determined to be in the best interest of the enrollee's health. The bill includes important definitions for terms like "enrollee," "health care provider," "health carrier," and "health benefit plan," which are referenced from existing state law. The legislation does not prevent substitution of interchangeable biological products and does not apply to prescription drugs subject to step therapy protocols. This bill aims to protect patients' ability to receive the specific medications prescribed by their healthcare providers and limit insurance companies' ability to unilaterally change prescription medications.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB877&year=2025&code=R