North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Dakota House Bill HB1451 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 01/16/2025

                            25.0748.01000
Sixty-ninth
Legislative Assembly
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Representatives Nelson, Mitskog, O'Brien
A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 50-24.1 of the North Dakota 
Century Code, relating to medical assistance prescription drug benefits for antiobesity 
medication.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
SECTION 1. A new section to chapter 50-24.1 of the North Dakota Century Code is created 
and enacted as follows:
Medical assistance benefits - Prescription drug coverage - Antiobesity medication.
1.Medical assistance coverage, including Medicaid expansion coverage, must include 
comprehensive coverage for the treatment of obesity, which includes coverage for 
intensive behavioral therapy, bariatric surgery, and antiobesity medication approved by 
the United States food and drug administration.
2.The coverage criteria for antiobesity medication may not be more restrictive than the 
United States food and drug administration approved indications.
3.The coverage provided under this section may not be different or separate from 
coverage provided for any other illness, condition, or disorder for purposes of 
determining deductibles, lifetime dollar limits, a benefit year maximum for deductibles, 
and copayment and coinsurance factors.
4.This section may not be construed to preclude the undertaking of utilization 
management to determine the medical necessity for treatment of obesity, provided all 
appropriate medical necessity determinations are made in the same manner as those 
determinations are made for the treatment of any other illness, condition, or disorder 
covered by medical assistance benefits.
5.The department shall provide notice to an enrollee regarding the coverage required by 
this section. The notice must be:
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24 Sixty-ninth
Legislative Assembly
a.In writing;
b.Prominently positioned in any literature or correspondence; and
c.Provided to an enrollee when annual information is made available to an 
enrollee, or in another mailing to an enrollee, but no later than December   31,  
2025.
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