AR HB1864

Prohibits healthcare insurers, including Medicaid, from requiring prior authorization for coverage of buprenorphine, methadone, naloxone, naltrexone, Suboxone, or FDA-approved formulations of these drugs for opioid addiction treatment.

Limits requirements for medication-assisted treatment coverage to valid prescriptions and compliance with United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration guidelines, with exceptions only for new, more expensive formulations not shown to be more effective.

Requires medication-assisted treatment prescriptions be placed on the lowest-cost benefit tier of prescription drug formularies and exempts such prescriptions from counting toward any insurer-imposed limits on the number of prescriptions per patient.

Amends the Prior Authorization Transparency Act definitions to clarify that "healthcare insurer" includes Medicaid when managed or reimbursed by a healthcare insurer.

Declares an emergency, making the act effective upon Governor approval, expiration of veto period, or veto override, citing medication-assisted treatment's effectiveness and cost savings, and stating prior authorization barriers deter physicians and lead patients to continued illegal drug use.