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House committee approves bill barring life insurers from denying coverage for naloxone prescriptions
Summary
The House Insurance Committee unanimously reported House Bill 111, named "Lloyd's Law," which would forbid life insurers from denying, canceling, limiting or charging different rates solely because an applicant has a prescription for an opioid overdose reversal agent such as naloxone.
House Bill 111, known in committee as "Lloyd's Law," was unanimously reported out of the House Insurance Committee after a sponsor-led presentation and constituent testimony.
The bill would prohibit life insurers from discriminating against an applicant solely for obtaining or receiving a prescription for an opioid overdose reversal agent such as naloxone. Alan Cohen, executive director of the House Insurance Committee, explained: "House bill 111 is a freestanding bill that prohibits life insurers from discriminating against an applicant solely for obtaining or receiving a prescription for an opioid overdose reversal agent, such as naloxone."
The bill's prime sponsor, Representative Curry, introduced the measure to the committee. Sharon White, a constituent whose son Lloyd died of opioid use disorder and whose family says it was denied life insurance coverage after naloxone appeared in prescription records, described her experience to members. "Tragically, despite her proactive measures, Lloyd did not survive his battle with opioid use disorder," White said, and she told the committee she was refused coverage after insurers saw naloxone in her prescription profile.
Committee members moved and seconded consideration and then moved to report the bill. Representative Nelson moved that the committee consider House Bill 111; Representative Pickett seconded. Later, a motion to report the bill was moved and seconded, and Chair Warren announced the measure was reported "unanimously." Committee discussion was limited: Chair Pickett noted the bill had been vetted in prior sessions and asked for an affirmative vote, and no negative votes were recorded in the transcript.
The bill's stated provisions would bar insurers from taking the following actions solely because a prescription for an opioid overdose reversal agent appears in an applicant's records: denying or canceling life insurance coverage, limiting the amount of coverage, or charging a different rate from other applicants. The committee did not cite a statutory cross-reference during discussion, and no implementation timeline or regulatory guidance was provided in the recorded remarks.
Votes at the committee level were unanimous and reported without individual tallies in the transcript. Next steps would send the bill forward for further consideration per House procedures.
