July 24, 2018
On May 20, 2018, Gov. Edwards signed SB 285 into law, creating Act No. 372. This law prohibits insurance carriers from denying coverage of a physician-prescribed nonopioid medication in favor of an opioid prescription drug. Further, when an opioid prescription is prescribed as medically necessary, the insurer cannot deny coverage of the opioid and attempt to substitute an alternative that requires an increased number of pills per prescription, is a higher Drug Enforcement Administration schedule medication than the one prescribed, or substitutes an extended-release medication that doesn’t have defined abuse deterrent properties for a prescription of a medication that does.
Although the insurance carriers will implement this law, employers should be aware of the change. The law is effective Jan. 1, 2019.
Act No. 372 »