SB 6: Parity for Non-Opioid Pain Management Drugs
SB 6 status: Enacted — Governor Signed (updated Jun 3, 2026).
What this bill does
Overall score
Bill summary
OfficialThe act requires a health insurance carrier that provides prescription drug benefits to require that:The utilization review requirements, including prior authorization and step therapy, for a non-opioid drug prescribed and approved by the federal food and drug administration (FDA) for the treatment or management of chr...
Key analysis
Impact analysis
Environment
Benefits
- No direct impact on environment
Risks
- No direct impact on environment
Economy
Benefits
- May reduce long-term healthcare costs associated with opioid addiction
- Supports market competition for non-opioid pain management alternatives
Risks
- Potential for slight premium increases if non-opioid drugs have higher utilization costs
- Administrative compliance burden on insurance carriers
Society
Benefits
- Increases access to safer pain management alternatives
- Reduces institutional barriers to non-opioid treatment options
- Public health alignment with state efforts to reduce opioid dependence
Risks
- Excluded state employee health plans may face inconsistent coverage policies
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Source
OpenStates
Confidence
lowlow
Analysis status
OpenStates summary
Mandate may become inoperative if Division of Insurance determines it requires state defrayal of costs
Analysis based on bill summary; full regulatory impact may vary
Where it stands
Introduced
CompleteCommittee
CompleteFloor
CompleteGovernor
CompleteEnacted
CompleteHow it affects your district
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