Today's Law As Amended


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AB-1842 Health care coverage: Medication-assisted treatment.(2023-2024)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.

 Section 1342.75 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

1342.75.
 (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a group or individual health care service plan offering an outpatient prescription drug benefit shall provide coverage for at least one medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in each of the following categories without prior authorization, step therapy, or utilization review:
(1) Medication for the reversal of opioid overdose, including a naloxone product or another opioid antagonist.
(2) Medication for the detoxification or maintenance treatment of a substance use disorder, including a daily oral buprenorphine product.
(3) A long-acting buprenorphine product.
(4) A long-acting injectable naltrexone product.
(b) This section does not prohibit a health care service plan from selecting an AB-rated generic equivalent, biosimilar, as defined in Section 262(i)(2) of Title 42 of the United States Code, or interchangeable biological product, as defined in Section 262(i)(3) of Title 42 of the United States Code, to meet the requirements of subdivision (a).

SEC. 2.

 Section 10123.1935 is added to the Insurance Code, to read:

10123.1935.
 (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a group or individual health insurer offering an outpatient prescription drug benefit shall provide coverage for at least one medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in each of the following categories without prior authorization, step therapy, or utilization review:
(1) Medication for the reversal of opioid overdose, including a naloxone product or another opioid antagonist.
(2) Medication for the detoxification or maintenance treatment of a substance use disorder, including a daily oral buprenorphine product.
(3) A long-acting buprenorphine product.
(4) A long-acting injectable naltrexone product.
(b) This section does not prohibit a health insurer from selecting an AB-rated generic equivalent, biosimilar, as defined in Section 262(i)(2) of Title 42 of the United States Code, or interchangeable biological product, as defined in Section 262(i)(3) of Title 42 of the United States Code, to meet the requirements of subdivision (a).
SEC. 3.
 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.