Pennsylvania removes prior authorization for opioid treatment

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and seven major health insurance companies agreed today to remove prior authorization requirements for treatment of substance use disorders, a move that has the potential to save thousands of lives, according to the American Medical Association (AMA) and Pennsylvania Medical Society.

In addition to removing this unnecessary restriction on treatment, insurers have also committed to including a comprehensive range of medications to treat substance use disorders on the lowest cost-sharing tier of a health plan’s pharmacy benefit as part of this agreement.