# Montana SB 447: Revise laws related to prior authorization Montana SB 447, Revise laws related to prior authorization, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Vince Ricci (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-16 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB447-2025 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Montana SB 447 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Revise laws related to prior authorization - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-24 - Last action: 2025-05-16, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Vince Ricci (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Health Care Services, Health, Insurance - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 8 (473 yes, 23 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Fewer drug prior authorizations and re-checks: benefit, medium. No prior authorization is needed after six months of uninterrupted use of the same non‑controlled generic at the same amount. Dose changes within the FDA label or standard clinical dosing do not trigger a new prior authorization. Insurers cannot require prior authorization for long‑acting injectabl… - Longer prior approvals, especially for chronic care: benefit, medium. Prior authorization approvals now last at least 12 months from when your provider gets the approval. They can end sooner only if you lose your health plan coverage. For a chronic condition, the approval lasts for the life of the condition. Insurers cannot require a new approval for the same service… - Stronger rules for drug denial reviews: benefit, medium. If your prescription prior authorization is denied, a doctor who treats your condition must make that decision. The denial notice must list reasonable covered alternatives on the plan’s formulary. Approvals that are not denials do not require a physician reviewer. - Updated definitions for prior authorization rules: mixed, low. The law updates key terms used in prior authorization, like adverse determination, utilization review, chronic condition, and medical necessity. Clearer definitions guide how insurers and reviewers apply the rules to your care. - Coordination with other bills on overlaps: mixed, low. If another new law (HB 398) also changes section 33‑22‑107, this law’s change to that section does not take effect. If another new law (HB 399) also changes section 33‑22‑221, this law’s change to that section does not take effect. This avoids conflicting wording and decides which bill controls. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Vince Ricci (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-18 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-04-17 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 48 | 0 | | | 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2025-04-11 | House | Do Concur | pass | 100 | 0 | | | 2025-03-06 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 41 | 8 | | | 2025-03-05 | Senate | AMD-SB0447.001.002 Ricci D/PASS | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-03-05 | Senate | Do Pass As Amended | pass | 41 | 9 | | | 2025-03-04 | Senate | Take SB 447 from Comm-Ricci | pass | 44 | 6 | | ## Actions (30) - 2025-05-16: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate) - 2025-05-13: Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-05: Transmitted to Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-05: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-29: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Returned from Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-22: Sent to Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-18: 3rd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-17: 2nd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Returned to Senate with Amendments (House) - 2025-04-11: 3rd Reading (House) - 2025-04-11: 2nd Reading (House) - 2025-04-09: Committee Report (House) - 2025-04-09: Committee Executive Action (House) - 2025-04-08: Hearing (House) - 2025-03-28: Fiscal Note Printed (Senate) - 2025-03-27: Fiscal Note Unsigned (Senate) - 2025-03-26: Fiscal Note Received (Senate) - 2025-03-17: 1st Reading (House) - 2025-03-17: Referred to Committee (House) - 2025-03-07: Transmitted to House (Senate) - 2025-03-06: 3rd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-05: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-05: 2nd Reading Motion to Amend (Senate) - 2025-03-04: Take from Committee; Place on 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-04: Tabled in Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-27: Hearing (Senate) - 2025-02-25: 1st Reading (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Referred to Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Introduced (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=0fff20b0-5c92-47ae-bb78-077dfebec085) - As Amended (Version 3), 2025-04-09: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1b03fbfb-574e-4f03-8229-75c09f903fa8) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-03-05: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1c0fc16c-d391-481e-a028-5327d139d6b8) - Introduced, 2025-02-24: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=888b370f-8b66-4179-a5ce-64f7fa4f1042) ## Related bills - SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law (signed) - HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit (vetoed) - HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws (vetoed) - SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act (vetoed) - SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer (vetoed) - SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program (vetoed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=0fff20b0-5c92-47ae-bb78-077dfebec085) - [As Amended (Version 3) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1b03fbfb-574e-4f03-8229-75c09f903fa8) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1c0fc16c-d391-481e-a028-5327d139d6b8) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=888b370f-8b66-4179-a5ce-64f7fa4f1042) ## Related - [SB 437: Revise definition of sex in Montana law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB437-2025) - [HB 831: Increase elderly homeowner and renter income tax credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB831-2025) - [HB 628: Revise early literacy targeted intervention laws](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-HB628-2025) - [SB 410: Provide for Montana genomic security act](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB410-2025) - [SB 422: Generally revise laws relating to insurance coverage relating to cancer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB422-2025) - [SB 424: Revising the disabled veteran property tax assistance program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB424-2025) - [Montana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana/bills) - [Montana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/montana) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB447-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).