Bill > HB1451

This bill requires North Dakota's medical assistance program, including Medicaid expansion, to provide comprehensive coverage for obesity treatment, which includes intensive behavioral therapy, bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved antiobesity medications. The bill stipulates that coverage criteria for antiobesity medications cannot be more restrictive than the FDA's approved indications, and that this coverage must be treated identically to coverage for other medical conditions in terms of deductibles, lifetime limits, and copayment factors. The bill allows for utilization management to determine medical necessity, but mandates that such determinations be made consistently with how they would be made for other medical conditions. Additionally, the bill requires the department to provide written notice to enrollees about this new coverage, prominently positioning the information in literature or correspondence, and ensuring notification by December 31, 2025. The goal appears to be ensuring equitable and comprehensive medical assistance for individuals seeking obesity treatment.

Government Affairs

https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/bill-overview/bo1451.html