preauthorization prohibition; addiction medications

HB 2674 prohibits Arizona's Medicaid program and its contractors from requiring preauthorization or step edits for FDA-approved medications treating opioid use disorder, starting October 1, 2026. This means patients seeking these specific medications would no longer need prior insurance approval or be forced to try other drugs first. The bill directly affects individuals with opioid use disorder and their healthcare providers by removing these administrative barriers to treatment. It focuses solely on streamlining access to evidence-based medication therapies for opioid addiction, without altering coverage for other medical treatments.