A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure appropriate access to non-opioid pain management drugs under part D of the Medicare program.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Bill 119 s 475, also known as the "Non-Opioid Choices Act," aims to make changes to title XVIII of the Social Security Act in order to guarantee that Medicare beneficiaries have access to non-opioid pain management medications through part D of the Medicare program. The bill is designed to address the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States by promoting the use of alternative pain management options that are not addictive.

Specifically, the bill would require Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to cover a range of non-opioid pain management drugs, including over-the-counter medications and prescription medications that are not classified as opioids. This would give Medicare beneficiaries more options for managing their pain without relying on potentially addictive opioid medications.

The goal of the Non-Opioid Choices Act is to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries have access to safe and effective pain management options that do not carry the same risks of addiction and overdose as opioids. By expanding coverage for non-opioid pain management drugs, the bill aims to reduce the reliance on opioids for pain management and help combat the opioid epidemic in the United States. Overall, Bill 119 s 475 seeks to improve access to non-opioid pain management options for Medicare beneficiaries in order to promote safer and more effective pain management practices.