SB 354 Nevada Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Revises provisions relating to health insurance coverage of prescription drugs. (BDR 57-1041)

SB 354 prohibits health insurance plans (including Medicaid and government employee plans) from requiring step therapy - where patients must try cheaper drugs first - before covering medications that prevent or treat HIV or hepatitis C. It applies directly to insurers offering health coverage and affects patients needing these specific treatments. The bill removes an existing exception allowing step therapy for these drugs, mandating direct coverage for HIV prevention/treatment medications and related lab tests without prior authorization. This changes how insurers must cover these essential medications, ensuring faster access without unnecessary barriers.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 13, 2025 Last action Jun 3, 2025

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What changed between versions

As Introduced → Reprint 1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill removes exemptions for step therapy requirements for private health plans covering HIV and hepatitis C treatments, while allowing the Public Employees Benefits Program and Medicaid managed care organizations to continue using step therapy. The change expands protections for patients by ensuring private health plans must cover these medications without requiring step therapy approval first.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include the Public Employees Benefits Program and Medicaid managed care organizations as exceptions to the new step therapy prohibition, while private health plans are now subject to stricter coverage requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the exemption allowing private health plans to require step therapy before covering HIV and hepatitis C prevention or treatment drugs.

ELIGIBILITY

Added the Public Employees Benefits Program and Medicaid managed care organizations as entities that may continue requiring step therapy for these medications.

FISCAL

Removed the unfunded mandate warning that was previously included in the legislative document.

TECHNICAL

Updated the Legislative Counsel's Digest to reflect the new scope of the bill and corrected the list of referenced statutes.

Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

From printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint. To committee.

upper

Apr 22, 2025

Committee

Notice of eligibility for exemption. Taken from General File. Re-referred to Committee on Finance. Exemption effective. To printer.

upper

Apr 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. Placed on Second Reading File. Read second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 315.) Reprinting dispensed with.

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

From printer. To committee.

upper

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors