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AR HB1186

Bill

Status

Passed

4/21/2025

Primary Sponsor

Deann Vaught

Click for details

Origin

House of Representatives

95th General Assembly (2025 Regular)

AI Summary

  • Arkansas Department of Human Services must ensure FDA-approved non-opioid pain medications with no therapeutic equivalent receive equal coverage to opioids on the Medicaid formulary and preferred drug list

  • Non-opioid pain drugs cannot be designated as "non-preferred" if any opioid or narcotic pain drug is designated as "preferred"

  • Prior authorization and step therapy requirements for non-opioid pain medications cannot be more restrictive than those applied to opioid or narcotic drugs

  • Applies specifically to non-opioid drugs that have no therapeutic equivalent available

  • Approved April 21, 2025 as Act 960 of the Regular Session

Legislative Description

To Create The Pain Relief Parity Act; And To Require Pain Relief Parity In The Arkansas Medicaid Program.

Last Action

Notification that HB1186 is now Act 960

4/21/2025

Committee Referrals

Public Health, Welfare and Labor4/10/2025
Public Health, Welfare And Labor2/13/2025
Public Health, Welfare and Labor1/22/2025

Full Bill Text

No bill text available