ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

 

☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note

HB2725: AHCCCS; prescription drug coverage

Sponsor: Representative Bliss, LD 1

Committee on Health & Human Services

Overview

Prohibits the Arizona Health Care Cost Contain System (AHCCCS) contractors from making a therapeutic substitution for an opioid drug if a contracted licensed physician has prescribed a non-opioid drug for chronic or acute pain. Forbids AHCCCS from establishing more restrictive utilization controls for non-opioid prescription drugs than those applied to opioid or narcotic drugs.

History

Established in 1981, AHCCCS is Arizona's Medicaid program that oversees contracted health plans for the delivery of health care to individuals and families who qualify for Medicaid and other medical assistance programs. Through contracted health plans across the state, AHCCCS delivers health care to qualifying individuals including low-income adults, their children or people with certain disabilities. Members must meet certain financial and nonfinancial requirements to be eligible for AHCCCS (A.R.S. § 36-2901).

Opioids are natural or synthetic chemicals that bind to receptors in your brain or body to reduce the intensity of pain signals reaching the brain. Common prescription opioid drugs include: 1) hydrocodone; 2) oxycodone; and 3) morphine. Prescription opioids can be used to treat acute-to-chronic pain and are often prescribed following surgery or injury or for health conditions such as cancer (CDC).

Provisions

1.   Prohibits an AHCCCS contractor from making a therapeutic substitution for a drug that is an opioid, if a contracted licensed physician has prescribed a drug that is not an opioid to treat chronic or acute pain, notwithstanding any other law to the contrary. (Sec. 1)

2.   Prohibits AHCCCS from establishing more restrictive or extensive utilization controls, including more restrictive or extensive prior authorization or step therapy requirements, for clinically appropriate drugs that are non-opioids than the least restrictive or extensive utilization controls applicable to any clinically appropriate prescription that is an opioid or narcotic. (Sec. 1)

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6.   Initials AG/LK                HB 2725

7.   1/27/2026  Page 0 Health & Human Services

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