# Montana SB 449: Generally revise health utilization review laws Montana SB 449, Generally revise health utilization review laws, is a 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) Senate bill sponsored by Vince Ricci (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-13 (Chapter Number Assigned); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MT-SB449-2025 - 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 449 - State: Montana - Session: 69th Legislature, Regular Session (2025) - Title: Generally revise health utilization review laws - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-24 - Last action: 2025-05-13, Chapter Number Assigned - Sponsor: Vince Ricci (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Health Care Services, Insurance - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 6 (398 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Faster approval for hospital discharge meds: benefit, medium. A prescription written at hospital discharge is approved right away for at least 3 days. The doctor must mark it as a discharge prescription, and the drug must cost $5,000 or less per day. After 3 days, normal prior authorization rules apply. - Keep prior approvals when you switch plans: benefit, medium. When you change health plans, your new insurer honors a prior authorization from your old plan for at least 90 days if you or your provider share proof. During those 90 days, the new insurer can review the request again under your plan terms. If your plan’s rules change later, a prior authorization… - No repeat step therapy if failed: benefit, medium. If you already tried the required drug or a similar drug and stopped it for medical reasons, your insurer cannot make you repeat step therapy. Your prescriber must provide records and a medical reason on request, including proof you completed the earlier steps. - No take-backs on approved services: benefit, medium. If a prior authorization was required and approved, the insurer cannot rescind it after you receive the service. Exceptions are fraud, misrepresentation, unpaid premiums, running out of benefits, or if you were not covered when you got the service. - Policy exclusions still not covered: cost, medium. The law does not make plans cover services your policy fully excludes, even if the care is medically necessary. You may still owe the full cost for excluded services. - Some parts can be voided by other laws: mixed, low. The law sets coordination rules with other bills. If House Bill 544 is also enacted, the no-take-backs rule for approved services is void. If House Bill 398 is also enacted, the 90‑day continuity rule for prior authorizations is void. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Vince Ricci (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Bob Carter (Democrat), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-15 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2025-04-14 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 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 | 49 | 0 | | | 2025-03-06 | Senate | Do Pass | pass | 50 | 0 | | ## Actions (30) - 2025-05-13: Chapter Number Assigned (Senate) - 2025-05-08: Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-01: Transmitted to Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-01: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-04-22: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Returned from Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Sent to Enrolling (Senate) - 2025-04-15: 3rd Reading House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-14: 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) - 2025-04-03: Hearing (House) - 2025-04-03: Hearing Canceled (House) - 2025-04-02: Hearing (House) - 2025-03-31: Hearing (House) - 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) - 2025-03-06: 2nd Reading (Senate) - 2025-03-01: Committee Report (Senate) - 2025-03-01: Committee Executive Action (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, 2025-04-15: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=8c8bafa8-d1e0-46d2-a1b0-9cae336145f5) - As Amended (Version 2), 2025-04-09: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f8a08287-29e8-41fe-b79a-af32c6394815) - Introduced, 2025-02-24: [PDF](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1fe5c427-ffb6-4e5c-8936-4b47a3e30f80) ## 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=8c8bafa8-d1e0-46d2-a1b0-9cae336145f5) - [As Amended (Version 2) (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=f8a08287-29e8-41fe-b79a-af32c6394815) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://docs.legmt.gov/download-ticket?ticketId=1fe5c427-ffb6-4e5c-8936-4b47a3e30f80) ## 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-SB449-2025 (as of 2026-10-12).