Bill > SB191

This bill mandates that by January 1, 2017, the New Mexico Department of Health must provide free online educational information about opioid overdose prevention, including risk factors, recognizing signs, and appropriate responses, as well as information on federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved opioid overdose reversal medications, also known as antagonists. Additionally, starting January 1, 2017, health insurance policies in New Mexico must cover at least one "abuse-deterrent opioid" for each type of opioid painkiller, meaning a pain medication that has been approved by the FDA and has specific labeling indicating it has properties designed to deter abuse, which are defined as features the FDA has found to meaningfully discourage misuse, even if not completely preventing it. The bill also requires that insurance plans cannot force patients to use a standard opioid before authorizing coverage for an abuse-deterrent opioid, though they can still use review processes like prior authorization as long as they apply the same rules to both types of medications. Finally, the bill directs the secretary of corrections to consider using "medication-assisted treatment," which involves FDA-approved medications for opioid addiction detoxification or maintenance, for individuals under the corrections department's supervision by January 1, 2017.