Bill > H824

This bill expands healthcare coverage and access to treatment for opioid use disorder and mental health conditions in North Carolina by making several key changes to insurance regulations. First, the bill requires health benefit plans to cover healthcare services provided by pharmacists when those services are within the pharmacist's licensed scope of practice, including administering long-term injectable medications like buprenorphine for opioid treatment. It mandates that insurers accept credentialing for pharmacists employed by healthcare facilities. Second, the bill requires insurance plans to cover all FDA-approved prescription drugs for opioid disorder and overdose treatment without prior authorization, and to reimburse pharmacies at the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost or Wholesale Acquisition Cost. Third, the bill updates terminology and definitions related to mental health coverage, replacing outdated terms like "mental illness" with "mental health condition" and aligning state law more closely with federal mental health parity regulations. The bill also requires that third-party administrators and pharmacy benefit managers comply with the same prescription drug and pharmacy service requirements as insurers. These changes are set to take effect on October 1, 2025, and will apply to insurance contracts issued, amended, or renewed on or after that date, with the aim of improving access to treatment for substance use disorders and mental health conditions.

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https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H824