Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for SB1238

Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Allows the Department of Public Health to develop and publish on its website a nonopioid alternatives pamphlet, with certain requirements. Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Prohibits a health insurance issuer to deny coverage of a nonopioid prescription drug in favor of an opioid prescription drug. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that coverage shall not be denied for a nonopioid prescription drug in favor of an opioid prescription drug. Requires that nonopioid drugs preferred on a specific list for the treatment or management of pain shall not be disadvantaged or discouraged with respect to coverage relative to any opioid or narcotic drug for the treatment or management of pain. Effective July 1, 2027.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill concerning the amendatory changes to the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Replaces the changes to the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that beginning January 1, 2027, a health insurance issuer shall develop a plan to provide adequate coverage and access to a broad spectrum of pain management services, including, but not limited to, nonopioid, nonnarcotic pain management services and non-medication pain management services that serve as alternatives to the prescribing of opioid or narcotic drugs in accordance with guidelines developed by the Department of Insurance. Provides that a health insurance issuer shall file the plan required under this provision with the Department of Insurance and shall post information about the pain management plan on the insurer's publicly accessible website. Replaces the amendatory changes to the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that in establishing and maintaining the Illinois Medicaid Preferred Drug List, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall ensure that nonopioid drugs on the Department's preferred drug list, and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for the treatment or management of pain shall not be disadvantaged or discouraged with respect to coverage relative to any opioid or narcotic drug for the treatment or management of acute pain as long as the Department retains its authority to manage the Preferred Drug List process pursuant to State or federal law, rules, regulations, and policies and the Department's authority over the Preferred Drug List process is not undermined or compromised.

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