HIV medications; prohibit health plans and Medicaid from subjecting to protocols that restrict dispensing of.

HB 1497 prohibits health insurance plans, Medicaid, and pharmacy benefit managers from requiring prior authorization, step therapy, or other protocols that delay or restrict access to FDA-approved antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for HIV/AIDS treatment. It mandates that these plans cover at least one therapeutically equivalent ARV option without prior approval, ensuring patients can access prescribed HIV medications without unnecessary barriers. The bill also requires insurers to publicly list prior authorization requirements for HIV drugs in plain language on their websites. This legislation died in committee on February 4, 2025, and would have directly affected people prescribed HIV medications in Mississippi.