Bill > SB628

This bill aims to promote the use of nonopioid pain medications by establishing several key requirements for insurance providers and healthcare practitioners. It defines a "nonopioid" drug as an FDA-approved pharmaceutical for treating moderate to severe pain that contains no opioid ingredients. The bill makes it unlawful for various insurance entities, including the Public Employees Insurance Agency, Bureau for Medical Services, and other insurers, to disadvantage or discourage nonopioid drugs in their coverage compared to opioid drugs. Specifically, these organizations must place nonopioid drugs in the lowest formulary tier (typically reserved for generic medications with the lowest copays) to make them competitive with generic opioids. Additionally, the bill expands requirements for healthcare practitioners when prescribing opioids, mandating that they inform patients about nonopioid alternatives, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these alternatives, and document the consideration of nonopioid treatments in the patient's medical record. The legislation also requires the Department of Health to develop an educational pamphlet about nonopioid pain treatment alternatives and ensures that health insurance carriers cannot deny coverage of nonopioid prescriptions in favor of opioid drugs. Importantly, the bill maintains that existing utilization review processes will continue unchanged.

Health and Social Services

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=628&year=2025&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill