WA SB5916

Health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, are prohibited from maintaining prescription drug practices that disadvantage nonopioid pain medications compared to opioid or narcotic drugs

Nonopioid drugs cannot be designated as nonpreferred if any opioid is designated as preferred, and prior authorization or step therapy requirements for nonopioids cannot be more restrictive than those for opioids

Requirements apply to state employee health plans, commercial health plans, and Medicaid managed care organizations, with the Health Care Authority ensuring fee-for-service Medicaid programs also comply

Department of Health must develop and publish an educational pamphlet on nonopioid pain treatment alternatives by January 1, 2027, covering both non-opioid medications and nonpharmacological therapies

"Nonopioid drug" is defined as an FDA-approved drug or biological product that produces pain relief without acting on the body's opioid receptors