Healthcare (Substance Abuse)

Nebraska's LB 5 provides legal immunity for administering naloxone, an FDA-approved drug that reverses opioid overdoses. It protects health professionals (doctors, nurses, pharmacists), family/friends, school staff, emergency responders, and police officers who act in good faith to help someone experiencing or likely to experience an opioid overdose. The law shields them from lawsuits, criminal charges, or professional penalties when reasonably using naloxone under specific circumstances. It specifically covers naloxone hydrochloride and other FDA-approved overdose reversal drugs, requiring only good-faith action without willful negligence.

LB 381 amends Nebraska's Medical Assistance Act to update rules for program integrity audits conducted by contractors. It requires contractors to provide clear written justification for starting audits, limit review periods to one year (except for fraud), send detailed audit results within 180 days, and notify providers of overpayment determinations with specific details like beneficiary names and claim numbers. The bill also mandates that audits be conducted by healthcare professionals in relevant specialties, requires advance notice for onsite audits (at least 10 business days), and prohibits recovery of payments for services with prior authorization. These changes directly affect medical providers and program integrity contractors by standardizing audit procedures and improving transparency in billing disputes.

LB 380 updates Nebraska's Medicaid program integrity rules to improve fairness and transparency in audits. It requires program integrity contractors to provide clear written justification for audits, limit records requests to relevant documents, and send determination letters within 180 days. The bill also mandates that auditors use licensed healthcare professionals familiar with clinical standards and prohibits audits of capitated managed care claims or claims already under review. These changes directly affect Medicaid providers and contractors by standardizing audit procedures and protecting providers from improper overpayment claims.

Nebraska's LB 252 prohibits Medicaid and commercial insurers from disadvantaging nonopioid pain medications approved by the FDA. It requires that such drugs receive equal coverage terms compared to opioid alternatives, banning higher cost-sharing tiers, stricter prior authorization, or step therapy requirements for nonopioid drugs. The law applies immediately upon FDA approval for pain treatment and mandates exceptions for providers who confirm nonopioid drugs are appropriate for a patient. This directly affects insurers (including Medicaid managed care organizations), healthcare providers, and patients seeking pain management options. The bill aims to ensure equal access to nonopioid treatments without restricting prescribers' choices.

LB 255 redirects $1 million annually from Nebraska's Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Cash Fund to support problem-solving courts. It specifically authorizes funding for medication-assisted treatment (using FDA-approved medication combined with counseling and therapy) for individuals with substance use disorders participating in these courts. The bill affects drug, veterans, mental health, and other problem-solving courts across judicial districts, requiring the State Court Administrator to track outcomes and report on recidivism and program access. This policy change explicitly ties fund usage to court-based treatment programs, as amended in sections 24-1302 and 71-2492 of Nebraska law.