Agreement to expand addiction treatment announced

WISCONSIN (AP) -- Wisconsin insurance companies, healthcare providers and others have agreed to do away with prior authorization requirements for most patients, in the hope of speeding the prescription of drugs to treat people fighting substance abuse.

The deal was announced Tuesday at the state Capitol.

Those involved heralded it as a major advancement in the fight against addiction.

Rep. John Nygren says the deal will expand the access to medication-assisted treatment to more than a million patients.

Health insurers agreed to cover at least one product to treat opioid addiction without pre-approval from the insurance company.