The hearing on HB2364 was opened.

Carly Choi, Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview of HB2364 (Attachment 8).

Billy O'Bryan, Kentucky Program Director, Young People in Recovery, provided testimony in support of HB2364 (Attachment 9). The bill addresses a persistent and preventable problem in healthcare regarding patients who wish to avoid opioids facing barriers to accessing safe, effective non-opioid pain treatments. A personal story was provided. The bill addresses this by stating that providers may not deny coverage of a non-opioid in favor of an opioid, requiring a patient to take an opioid first, imposing more restrictive prior authorizations, and placing non-opioid medications on a higher cost-sharing tier than opioids.

Kathy Sapp, CEO, American Chronic Pain Association, provided testimony in support of HB2364 (Attachment 10). Ms. Sapp provided a personal story. With a number of non-opioid alternatives available and more in late-stage clinical development, the bill would better ensure people living with pain having access to alternatives without having to potentially try an opioid first.

Anna Custer-Singh, Private Citizen, provided testimony in support of HB2364 (Attachment 11). Ms. Custer-Singh provided a personal story. The bill would allow doctors and patients to be in charge of their healthcare, not insurance companies. Passing the bill would be a formidable step toward harm reduction. The risk of a life-long addiction or overdose death doesn't have to be.

Written only testimony provided by:

Chris Fox, Executive Director, Voices for Non-Opioid Choices (Attachment 12)

Brenna Winn, Private Citizen (Attachment 13)

The hearing was closed on HB2364.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:02 PM.