ST. PAUL, Minn. – In Thursday’s hearing of the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, Senator Rob Kupec (DFL-Moorhead) presented bipartisan legislation requiring health care coverage of nonopioid and nonpharmacologic pain management medications.
“We’ve seen the societal burden when opioids are the most common first-line treatment for pain, with increasing public health care costs from addiction and far too many overdose deaths in our communities,” said Sen. Kupec. “We need alternatives that can prevent this from happening, and this legislation is an important step in making those alternatives available to Minnesotans. Many states are doing this already, and it’s time for Minnesota to join the list.”
Under Sen. Kupec’s proposal, health care issuers would be required to provide coverage for alternatives to prescription opioids to treat and manage pain, such as nonopioid and nonpharmacologic, nonoperative modalities, and would prohibit plans from providing preferential coverage for opioids.
Currently 8 states have enacted similar laws, with several others currently considering similar proposals.
At the conclusion of Thursday’s hearing, the bill was passed by the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and was moved to the Health and Human Services Committee, where it awaits a future hearing.
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