The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Missouri House Bill 2296 prohibits health plans from denying or charging more for nonopioid acute pain drugs
Last action · January 29, 2026: HCS Reported Do Pass (H)Sponsor: Kent Haden
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Would Do
Missouri House Bill 2296 prohibits s from denying coverage for nonopioid prescription drugs prescribed for , requiring trial of an opioid first, or charging higher cost-sharing for nonopioids compared to opioids, starting January 1, 2027.
s with s will gain guaranteed coverage parity for nonopioid treatments without mandatory prior opioid trials or higher cost-sharing starting January 1, 2027.
- House Bill 2296 was introduced during the 2026 Regular Session of the 103rd General Assembly of Missouri. context
- The bill's primary sponsor is Representative Kent Haden, representing District 043. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
enrollee
Enrollees are guaranteed access to nonopioid acute pain medications without mandatory prior opioid trials or higher cost-sharing.
health benefit plan
Health benefit plans are prohibited from denying nonopioid coverage, requiring prior opioid trials, or setting higher cost-sharing for nonopioids.
health care professional
Licensed health care professionals prescribing nonopioid medications for acute pain are protected from insurer restrictions requiring prior opioid trials.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does HB 2296 require health insurance plans to do regarding acute pain medication?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Millions drop Affordable Care Act plans, new data shows: See states where enrollments dropped most
About 1 in 5 Florida Drivers Is Uninsured, Ranking Seventh Highest in the U.S.
Bias ratings based on AllSides / Media Bias/Fact Check
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
8 actions- Jan 29, 2026HouseCommitteeHCS Reported Do Pass (H)
- Jan 29, 2026HouseCommitteeHCS Voted Do Pass (H)
- Jan 29, 2026HouseExecutive Session Completed (H)
- Jan 22, 2026HousePublic Hearing Completed (H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Health and Mental Health(H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
Show 2 earlier actions
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroducedRead First Time (H)
- Dec 9, 2025HouseIntroducedPrefiled (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift toward nonopioid insurance parity
The bill targets financial and procedural barriers by preventing insurers from imposing higher cost-sharing or mandatory prior opioid trials for nonopioid acute pain treatments.
Connected Entities
Sources
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools