Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi HB856: Advanced, metastatic cancer; delete repealer on prohibition against health plans requiring step therapy before covering certain drugs to treat.
Status: Signed into law, March 16, 2026
AN ACT TO REENACT SECTION 83-9-8.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROHIBITS A HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN FROM REQUIRING STEP THERAPY OR FAIL-FIRST PROTOCOLS BEFORE THE PLAN PROVIDES COVERAGE OF CERTAIN PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO TREAT ADVANCED, METASTATIC CANCER AND ASSOCIATED CONDITIONS; TO REENACT SECTION 83-9-36, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PRESCRIBES THE PROCESS BY WHICH A PRESCRIBING PRACTITIONER MAY REQUEST AN OVERRIDE OF AN INSURER'S RESTRICTION ON MEDICATION FOR USE BY A STEP THERAPY OR FAIL-FIRST PROTOCOL; TO AMEND SECTION 3, CHAPTER 379, LAWS OF 2024, TO DELETE THE REPEALER ON SECTIONS 83-9-8.1 AND 83-9-36, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to reenact section 83-9-8.1, mississippi code of 1972, which prohibits a health benefit plan from requiring step therapy or fail-first protocols before the plan provides coverage of certain prescription drugs to treat advanced, metastatic cancer and associated conditions; to reenact section 83-9-36, mississippi code of 1972, which prescribes the process by which a prescribing practitioner may request an override of an insurer's restriction on medication for use by a step therapy or fail-first protocol…
From the enrolled text, March 6, 2026:
AN ACT TO REENACT SECTION 83-9-8.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROHIBITS A HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN FROM REQUIRING STEP THERAPY OR FAIL-FIRST PROTOCOLS BEFORE THE PLAN PROVIDES COVERAGE OF CERTAIN PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO TREAT ADVANCED, METASTATIC CANCER AND ASSOCIATED CONDITIONS; TO REENACT SECTION 83-9-36, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PRESCRIBES THE PROCESS BY WHICH A PRESCRIBING PRACTITIONER MAY REQUEST AN OVERRIDE OF AN INSURER'S RESTRICTION ON MEDICATION FOR USE BY A STEP THERAPY OR FAIL-FIRST PROTOCOL; TO AMEND SECTION 3, CHAPTER 379, LAWS OF 2024, TO DELETE THE REPEALER ON SECTIONS 83-9-8.1 AND 83-9-36, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. Section 83-9-8.1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted as follows: 83-9-8.1. (1) As used in this section, the following terms shall be defined as provided in this subsection: (a) "Associated conditions" means the symptoms or side effects associated with advanced, metastatic cancer or its treatment and which, in the judgment of the health care practitioner, further jeopardizes the health of a patient if left untreated. *HR26/R1903* H. B. No. 856 ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2 26/HR26/R1903 PAGE 1 (RF\KW) (b) "Advanced, metastatic cancer" means cancer that has spread from the primary or original site of the cancer to nearby tissues, lymph nodes, or other areas or …