Several new Missouri laws taking effect by the end of August are bringing changes to health care access, insurance coverage, pharmacy services, maternal health, disability services, and protections for vulnerable Missourians.

Health Care Access and Insurance

Among the most wide-ranging changes is HB 2372, which addresses numerous areas of health care policy. The new law expands the use of community paramedics for certain nonemergency services and modifies telehealth requirements governing how patients may establish relationships with health care providers.

The law also adds several insurance protections and coverage requirements. The law establishes new transparency requirements involving prior authorization and restrictions on time limits for anesthesia coverage. Beginning in 2027, plans covering self-administered hormonal contraceptives must provide coverage for up to a one-year supply. The measure also includes “Nora’s Law,” requiring coverage of prescribed home blood-pressure monitoring for pregnant and postpartum women when medically appropriate. Other provisions address Alpha-gal syndrome, sickle cell disease, Lyme disease, emergency medical services, pharmacy services, and MO HealthNet.

Missouri pharmacists will also see expanded authority under SB 878. The law allows pharmacists to prescribe certain medical devices and updates requirements for administering vaccines and providing medication therapy services. Under protocols established by the Board of Pharmacy, pharmacists will also be permitted to dispense ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine without an individual prescription, although the medications must remain behind the pharmacy counter.

The same law adds protections for health care providers participating in the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program by restricting certain reimbursement and coverage practices by health carriers and pharmacy benefit managers.

Other changes affect hospitals and health plans. SB 1019 modifies financial and service-area provisions for certain municipal and hospital district hospitals and establishes the Missouri Lyme Disease Eradication Act, which calls for additional tracking and surveillance of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

Meanwhile, HB 2596 updates financial reserve and reporting requirements for multiple-employer self-insured health plans and expands eligibility to certain self-employed individuals with employees and their dependents. The law also includes the requirement for up to a one-year supply of covered self-administered hormonal contraceptives beginning in 2027.

Maternal, Family & Disability Services

New laws also establish services and protections for Missourians with disabilities and other vulnerable populations.

HB 1840 creates a statewide communication access services program through the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The measure also includes “Mason’s Law,” which allows individuals with certain health conditions or disabilities that may impair communication with law enforcement to have a designation associated with their vehicle registration that officers can access through the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System.

The same law establishes “RJ’s Law” and a Purple Alert System to help locate missing people with developmental disabilities who may be in immediate danger and unable to return to safety without assistance.

Changes affecting families and children are included in HB 1696, which modifies Missouri’s right-of-sepulcher laws governing who has authority over the disposition of a deceased person’s remains. It also requires criminal background checks for adult staff and volunteers at residential camps and prohibits individuals with certain criminal convictions or sex-offender registrations from serving in those positions.

Maternal health and protections for crime victims are addressed in SB 999. The law expands Missouri’s Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Board and requires representation from each congressional district. The board will consider factors such as prenatal and postnatal care and the presence of maternity care deserts when reviewing maternal deaths. The law also changes criminal statutes involving domestic violence, assault, stalking, harassment, and technological abuse, including the creation of a cyberharassment offense.

Finally, HB 2292 seeks to improve coordination when abuse of people and animals may be occurring in the same household. Certain human services workers will be required to report suspected animal abuse or neglect and receive training to recognize it. Beginning in 2028, animal control officers and humane investigators will similarly be required to report suspected abuse or neglect of children, older adults, or adults with disabilities to the appropriate state agency.

Missouri MAP Scores Show Improvement

Missouri students showed modest improvement across several subjects in preliminary results from the 2025-26 Missouri Assessment Program released by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Statewide results showed gains in English language arts, mathematics, science and government assessments. Among the largest increases, sixth-grade math proficiency rose three percentage points to 48.9 percent, while eighth-grade science increased more than four points to 43.9 percent.

At the high school level, English II proficiency increased more than five points to 58.4 percent, and biology increased more than three points to 40.6 percent.

MAP assessments measure student performance against the Missouri Learning Standards and are administered at various grade levels in English language arts, mathematics, science and government.