ARIZONA STATE SENATE

RESEARCH STAFF

MICHAEL MADDEN

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

Telephone: (602) 926-3171

TO:                  MEMBERS OF THE SENATE

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

DATE:            March 16, 2026

SUBJECT:      Strike everything amendment to H.B. 2048, relating to AHCCCS; coverage; non-opioid prescription drugs

Purpose

Prohibits the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) from imposing more restrictive utilization controls on prescription non-opioid drugs used to treat moderate to severe pain than on prescription opioid or narcotic drugs.

Background

AHCCCS serves as Arizona's Medicaid agency, which offers Arizona residents access to healthcare programs. AHCCCS contracts with health plans to deliver medically necessary services to enrolled members, including low-income adults, children, pregnant women and individuals with disabilities (A.R.S. § 36-2903).

The AHCCCS Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee (Committee) serves as an advisory body to the AHCCCS administration and is responsible for evaluating scientific evidence of the relative safety, efficacy, effectiveness and clinical appropriateness of prescription drugs. The Committee makes recommendations to the AHCCCS administration on the development and maintenance of a statewide drug list and prior authorization criteria as appropriate. The Committee may also evaluate individual drugs and therapeutic classes of drugs (AHCCCS).

If prohibiting AHCCCS from imposing more restrictive utilization controls on prescription non-opioid drugs than on prescription opioid or narcotic drugs results in increased utilization or costs, there may be a fiscal impact to the state General Fund.

Provisions

1. Prohibits AHCCCS from establishing utilization controls, including prior authorization or step therapy requirements, on any clinically appropriate prescription non-opioid drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat chronic or acute moderate to severe pain that are more restrictive or extensive than the least restrictive or extensive utilization controls applicable to any clinically appropriate prescription opioid or narcotic drug.

2. Repeals the prohibition on September 1, 2028.

3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.