SB 544 – Establish Non-Opioid Treatment Alternatives

Primary Sponsors: Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Madison)

Bill Summary

This bill states that a health care provider shall provide patients acute and chronic with a referral to, or prescription for, any of the following alternatives to targeted controlled substances when appropriate:

  • Acupuncture
  • Chiropractic care
  • Massage therapy
  • Osteopathic manipulation
  • Physical therapy

The bill states that in managing a patient’s pain treatment that a practitioner shall, whenever possible, administer nonpharmalogical modalities or medicine.

Patient Directive

The bill also establishes a patient directive form for non-opioid care. Patients would be able to elect non-opioid prescriptions and treatment by voluntarily executing and filing the non-opioid directive form with a health provider. Provider’s would be required to sign the form in the presence of the patient.

Insurance Coverage

This bill requires that every health benefit plan offered by an insurer must provide coverage for evidence based non-opioid pain management care.

The bill states that evidence based non-opioid pain management care shall be considered a rehabilitation service.

The bill states that this treatment will not be subject to annual or lifetime numerical limits on visits for the treatment of pain.

The bill states that the amount of coinsurance, copayments, and deductible for evidence based non-opioid pain management care shall be the same as the amount of coinsurance, copayments, and deductible for primary care services.

The bill states that the amount of provider reimbursement by an insurer shall be no less than 75% of the billing code rate.

Bill Movement

This bill was filed on April 2, 2019. This bill was referred to the Senate Rules Committee.