Bill > S2034

This bill mandates that all individual and group health insurance plans in Rhode Island that offer prescription drug coverage must cover at least one type of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder, for each form of administration, starting January 1, 2027. Crucially, these plans will not be allowed to charge a copayment (a fixed amount paid by the patient for a covered healthcare service) or require a deductible (the amount a patient must pay out-of-pocket before insurance coverage begins) for buprenorphine within a twelve-month plan year, although deductibles may still apply to health plans linked with federally qualified health savings accounts. The bill also clarifies that insurers can choose to offer this coverage earlier than the mandated date and will take effect immediately upon being passed into law.

Health and Social Services

https://status.rilegislature.gov/